French word

vingtaine

Pronunciation

IPA/vɛ̃tɛn/

Meaning

  • feminine nounabout twenty

Example

Le colis contient une vingtaine d'articles.

The package contains about twenty items.

Illustration for vingtaine (about twenty)

More examples

La réunion a duré une vingtaine de minutes.

The meeting lasted about twenty minutes.

Core concept

A loose bundle gathered around twenty, with the exact number left unmarked.

Common phrases

  • une vingtaine de personnes

    about twenty people

  • une vingtaine d'euros

    about twenty euros

Similar words

dizaine: A quantity of about ten items.
douzaine: A group of twelve items.
trentaine: A quantity of about thirty items.
quinzaine: A quantity of about fifteen items.

Definition in French

Indique une quantité approximative d'environ vingt éléments, employé pour exprimer une estimation plutôt qu'un nombre précis.

Word origin

French vingtaine combines vingt, from Latin viginti, with the suffix -aine, which forms collective or approximate quantities.

Usage tips

  • As a feminine noun, vingtaine normally appears in une vingtaine de followed by a plural noun, with de becoming d' before a vowel.

Other meanings

  • one's twentiesnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word