What does "decade" mean?
A group, set, or series of ten , particularly
Decade
/ˈdɛkeɪd/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A group, set, or series of ten , particularly
- Grammar: decade is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: 10, abundant year, academic year, annum.
- Useful contrasts: instant, moment.
- Usage evidence: We have experienced many changes over the last decade.
How to use "decade"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "decade" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "decade" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "decade" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "decade" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "decade" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "10" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "decade", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A group, set, or series of ten , particularly
"a decade of soldiers"
- 2 the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system wordnet
- 3 A group, set, or series of ten; A period of ten years , particularly such a period beginning with a year ending in 0 and ending with a year ending in 9.
"The 1960s was a turbulent decade."
- 4 a period of 10 years wordnet
- 5 A group, set, or series of ten; A period of ten days, particularly those in the ancient Egyptian, Coptic, and French Revolutionary calendars.
"The year was divided up into twelve months renamed after the seasons [...]; each month comprised three ‘decades’ of ten days – with the décadi replacing Sundays as a day of rest; and each day was reconsecrated to a natural product or farming tool or technique."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A group, set, or series of ten; A work in ten parts or books, particularly such divisions of Livy's History of Rome. archaic, literary
- 7 A group, set, or series of ten; A series of prayers counted on a rosary, typically consisting of an Our Father, followed by ten Hail Marys, and concluding with a Glory Be and sometimes the Fatima Prayer.
- 8 A group, set, or series of ten; Any of the sets of ten sequential braille characters with predictable patterns.
- 9 A group, set, or series of ten; A set of ten electronic devices used to represent digits.
- 10 A set of resistors, capacitors, etc. connected so as to provide even increments between one and ten times a base electrical resistance.
- 11 The interval between any two quantities having a ratio of 10 to 1.
"There are decades between 1.8 and 18, between 25 and 250 and between 0.03 and 0.003."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We have experienced many changes over the last decade."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "decade"?
Common synonyms include: 10, abundant year, academic year, annum, big dick, bissextile year.
How do you use "decade" in a sentence?
We have experienced many changes over the last decade.
How do you pronounce "decade"?
Pronounced /ˈdɛkeɪd/.
Etymology
From Middle English decade, from Old French decade, from Late Latin decādem (“(set of) ten”), from Ancient Greek δεκάς (dekás), from δέκα (déka, “ten”). In reference to a span of ten years, originally a clipping of the phrase decade of years. By surface analysis, dec- + -ade. Doublet of decad and dekad.