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Sixteenth vs. Sixteen — What's the Difference?

By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 17, 2024
"Sixteenth" refers to the ordinal form of sixteen, indicating position, while "sixteen" is the cardinal number representing the quantity.
Sixteenth vs. Sixteen — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Sixteenth and Sixteen

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Key Differences

"Sixteenth" is used when referring to the position in a sequence, like in a race or a list, while "sixteen" is used to count or quantify objects or people.
In English, "sixteenth" often appears in contexts like dates and rankings, whereas "sixteen" appears in discussions of age, quantities, or mathematical operations.
The term "sixteenth" can also denote a fractional part, specifically one part of sixteen, while "sixteen" is purely a whole number.
When discussing music, "sixteenth" can refer to a sixteenth note, a very quick note in musical compositions, whereas "sixteen" could be used to discuss a group of sixteen musical bars.
In historical contexts, "sixteenth" might describe the 16th century or the 16th president, while "sixteen" might refer to the number of principalities in a historical empire or a specific quantity of items in a historical context.
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Comparison Chart

Type

Ordinal number
Cardinal number

Usage in sequences

Denotes position
Counts quantity

Common contexts

Dates, rankings
Age, sums, groups

Example in fractions

One part out of sixteen
Not applicable

Musical reference

Refers to a sixteenth note
Refers to count of musical bars

Compare with Definitions

Sixteenth

Used to describe sequence in a set or series.
His novel was the sixteenth in the series.

Sixteen

A cardinal number following fifteen.
There are sixteen candles on the cake.

Sixteenth

In music, a note played for 1/16 of the duration of a whole note.
The piece features a rapid sequence of sixteenth notes.

Sixteen

Often used in mathematics for calculation.
The square of four is sixteen.

Sixteenth

Represents 1/16th, a fraction.
She cut the cake into sixteenth slices.

Sixteen

Used to denote age.
She just turned sixteen years old.

Sixteenth

Used in dates to denote the day.
Her birthday is on the sixteenth.

Sixteen

Represents a group of sixteen items.
He bought sixteen apples at the market.

Sixteenth

Ordinal form of sixteen, indicating position.
He finished sixteenth in the marathon.

Sixteen

Used in sports to indicate team size or score.
The team played with sixteen players.

Sixteenth

The ordinal number matching the number 16 in a series.

Sixteen

The cardinal number equal to the sum of 15 + 1.

Sixteenth

One of 16 equal parts.

Sixteen

The 16th in a set or sequence.

Sixteenth

The ordinal form of the number sixteen.

Sixteen

The cardinal number occurring after fifteen and before seventeen, represented in Arabic numerals as 16 and in Roman numerals as XVI.

Sixteenth

One of sixteen equal parts of a whole.
A sixteenth of 320 is 20.

Sixteen

Six and ten; consisting of six and ten; fifteen and one more.

Sixteenth

Sixth after the tenth; next in order after the fifteenth.

Sixteen

The number greater by a unit than fifteen; the sum of ten and six; sixteen units or objects.

Sixteenth

Constituting or being one of sixteen equal parts into which anything is divided.

Sixteen

A symbol representing sixteen units, as 16, or xvi.

Sixteenth

The quotient of a unit divided by sixteen; one of sixteen equal parts of one whole.

Sixteen

The cardinal number that is the sum of fifteen and one

Sixteenth

The next in order after the fifteenth; the sixth after the tenth.

Sixteen

Being one more than fifteen

Sixteenth

An interval comprising two octaves and a second.

Sixteenth

Position 16 is a countable series of things

Sixteenth

Coming next after the fifteenth in position

Common Curiosities

Can "sixteenth" be used to discuss quantity?

No, "sixteenth" is used for positioning, not for counting quantity.

What is the main use of "sixteenth"?

It is primarily used as an ordinal number to denote position in a sequence.

How do "sixteenth" and "sixteen" differ in a historical context?

"Sixteenth" might refer to a specific order in history, like the 16th century, whereas "sixteen" could refer to quantities or counts in historical records.

What is the difference in grammatical usage between "sixteenth" and "sixteen"?

"Sixteenth" is an ordinal adjective, while "sixteen" is a cardinal numeral.

How are "sixteenth" and "sixteen" used in music?

"Sixteenth" refers to a type of musical note, while "sixteen" might refer to a count of bars.

How might "sixteen" appear in a legal document?

As a count of items or age, such as sixteen years of age being the legal driving age.

What does "sixteen" represent?

It is a cardinal number used to express a quantity of sixteen.

Is "sixteen" ever used in a fractional sense like "sixteenth"?

No, "sixteen" refers to a whole number, whereas "sixteenth" can represent a fraction.

What would be an example of "sixteenth" in sports?

Referring to a position, like finishing sixteenth in a race.

Can "sixteen" be used to denote position?

No, for positions, "sixteenth" is the appropriate term.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat

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