Meanings
forties1
alternative 'forties · alternative 1940s · alternative '40s · alternative 40s
- pluralplural of forty
alternative 'forties · alternative 1940s · alternative '40s · alternative 40s
- pluralplural onlyThe decade of one's life from age 40 through age 49.
They're both in their forties.
1 more example
Albrecht Lein reports that the core of the Braunschweig Antifa was made up of KPD and SPD members in their forties and fifties who had avoided the front, though Catholic workers’ organizations and other forces were also involved.
2017 May 28, Loren Balhorn, “The Lost History of Antifa”, in Jacobin Magazine - pluralplural onlyratestemperatureThe range between 40 and 49.
What to wear when the weather is in the forties really depends on whether you're talking Fahrenheit or Celsius.
alternative 'forties · alternative 1940s · alternative '40s · alternative 40s
- not comparableFrom or evoking the 41st through 50th years of a century (chiefly the 1940s).
Two forties aircraft sat forgotten in the hangar until they were rediscovered by two trespassing teens.
1 more example
Like any big modern city, Scott's Los Angeles of 2019 is saturated with technologies; in fact, it is most striking for its layering of technologies, styles, lifestyles and ethnicities, which range from oriental peasant altars and cookfires through forties hats and building facades to off-world colonies and androids.
1991, Judith B. Kerman, “Technology and Politics in the Blade Runner Dystopia”, in Judith B. Kerman, editor, Retrofitting Blade Runner: Issues in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, 2nd edition, University of Wisconsin Press, →ISBN, page 16
Forties2
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA sea area, in the northern part of the North Sea, where the depth of water is consistently forty fathoms
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From forties, due to the dpth of the area.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 四十年代, 40年代
- 四十年代 (sìshí niándài)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- 40年代 (sìshí niándài)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Dutch jaren veertig, jaren 40
- jaren veertigthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- jaren 40the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- jaren 1940the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Finnish neljäkymmentäluku, nelikymmenluku
- neljäkymmentälukuthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- nelikymmenlukuthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
French années quarante, années 40
- années quarantethe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- années 40the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
German vierziger Jahre, Vierziger
- vierziger Jahrethe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- Vierzigerthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Hungarian negyvenes évek
- negyvenes évekthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Italian quarantenne, anta
- quarantennethe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- antathe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- anni quarantathe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Japanese 四十年代, 40年代
- 四十年代 (yonjū-nendai)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- 40年代 (yonjū-nendai)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Korean 사십년대, 40년대
- 사십년대 (sasimnyeondae)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- 40년대 (sasimnyeondae)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Polish lata czterdzieste, lata 40.
- lata czterdziestethe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- lata 40.the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Russian сороковы́е
- сороковы́е (sorokovýje)the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Spanish años cuarenta, década de 1940
- años cuarentathe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- década de 1940the fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Swedish fyrtiotalet, fyrtiotal
- fyrtiotaletthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- fyrtiotalthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Welsh deugeiniau, pedwardegau
- deugeiniauthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
- pedwardegauthe fifth decade of a century: the 1840s, 1940s, 2040s, etc.
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
forties. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forties
“forties.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forties. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “forties,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forties.
Source: forties on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.