neunte

Neunte is a German ordinal numeral meaning ninth. It is the feminine singular form used for adjectives before feminine nouns and, when substantivized, as a noun Die Neunte referring to the ninth item in a sequence or, in cultural contexts, to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Grammatically, neunte forms agree with gender and case. As an attributive adjective it appears as der neunte Tag, die neunte Etage, das neunte Kapitel. In the plural, with definite articles, the form is die neunten. When the ordinal is nominalized, it is capitalized as Die Neunte and can denote the specific ninth element or work (for example, Die Neunte refers to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony).

Common uses include indexing positions in lists or constructions such as floors, chapters, or days: the neunte Etage (the ninth floor), das neunte Kapitel (the ninth chapter), or die neunten Tage der Reise (the ninth days of the journey). In culture and music, Die Neunte is frequently used to refer to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, a shorthand that highlights the work’s ordinal position within his symphonic output.

Etymology and related forms: neunte derives from neun (nine) with the ordinal suffix -te; the base forms for masculine and neuter are neunter and neuntes, while the feminine form is neunte. The term is widely understood in German-speaking contexts and appears in both everyday language and literary or musical discourse.

See also: German ordinal numbers; Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony; German grammar and declension of adjectives.