Twentythird

Twentythird is a nonstandard orthographic variant of the standard English word twenty-third, the ordinal form of the number twenty-three. In contemporary usage, the conventional spelling is twenty-third, with a hyphen between twenty and third. The form is used to indicate position or order in sequences, such as in chapter headings, lists, or dates.

Etymology and formation: the word is a compound of the cardinal twenty and the ordinal third. This pattern—tens plus an ordinal suffix—is common in English for forming ordinals beyond the single digits. The standard spelling uses a hyphen to join the elements, resulting in twenty-third.

Pronunciation: typically pronounced with three syllables: TWEN-ti-THIRD, with the primary stress on the first syllable.

Usage and grammar: as an ordinal, it can modify a noun (the twenty-third chapter) or function as a standalone ordinal in contexts like schedules or rankings. In numeral form, it is written as 23rd (e.g., 23rd of April or the 23rd). In dates and formal writing, the hyphenated twenty-third is preferred when the word directly precedes a noun; when using numerals, 23rd is common.

Orthographic notes: most style guides require the hyphen in twenty-third. Unhyphenated forms such as twentythird are generally considered nonstandard or incorrect in modern English, though they may appear in stylistic or space-limited contexts.

See also: twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth.