eighty

"Eighty" is the number that comes after seventy-nine and before eighty-one. It is used when you talk about 80 people or things, like eighty pages, eighty dollars, or eighty miles. It can also describe age, as in someone being in their eighties, which means from 80 to 89 years old. People also use "the eighties" to mean the years from 1980 to 1989. In some settings, it appears in measurements, such as eighty percent or 80 proof.

"Eighty" is the cardinal number for 80. You use it to name a quantity, so it appears in everyday phrases like eighty students, eighty tickets, or eighty minutes. It can also be part of a larger number, such as one hundred eighty or one thousand eighty.

The word is also common when talking about age. If someone is in their eighties, they are between 80 and 89 years old. In the same way, "the eighties" can mean the decade from 1980 to 1989. In conversation, people may describe clothes, music, or design as "very eighties" when they strongly remind them of that time.

"Eighty" shows up in measurements and amounts as well. You might read about eighty percent of a job being finished, a speed of eighty miles per hour, or 80 proof alcohol. In that last case, 80 proof means 40% alcohol by volume.

In short, "eighty" is mainly used for counting, measuring, naming ages from 80 to 89, and referring to the 1980s.