The ordinal numeral form of ten; next in order after that which is ninth.
tenth — Definition and meaning
• Being one of ten equal parts of a whole.
(Noun) The person or thing coming next after the ninth in a series; that which is in the tenth position.
• One of ten equal parts of a whole.
• The interval between any tone and the tone represented on the tenth degree of the staff above it, as between one of the scale and three of the octave above; the octave of the third.
• A temporary aid issuing out of personal property, and granted to the king by Parliament; formerly, the real tenth part of all the movables belonging to the subject.
• A tenth of a mil; a ten-thousandth of an inch.
(Verb) To divide by ten, into tenths.
The importance of tenth
tenth appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
How tenth is applied
In practice, tenth is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.