decade
A period of ten years, typically used to measure time or categorize a specific historical era. It is a common unit of time used to track social, economic, or personal changes over a significant duration.
Examples
3 of 5I haven't seen my childhood friend in over a decade.
I have not seen the friend I had as a child for more than ten years.
The treaty was signed at the beginning of the previous decade to ensure peace.
The agreement was officially signed at the start of the last ten-year period to maintain peace.
It's been a decade since we last hung out!
Ten years have passed since the last time we spent time together.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Remember the prefix 'deca-', which means ten, just like a 'decathlon' has ten different athletic events.
Quick Quiz
The technology has advanced significantly over the last _______, making smartphones accessible to everyone.
Correct!
The correct answer is: decade
Examples
I haven't seen my childhood friend in over a decade.
everydayI have not seen the friend I had as a child for more than ten years.
The treaty was signed at the beginning of the previous decade to ensure peace.
formalThe agreement was officially signed at the start of the last ten-year period to maintain peace.
It's been a decade since we last hung out!
informalTen years have passed since the last time we spent time together.
Economic trends over the last decade suggest a shift toward renewable energy sources.
academicFinancial patterns during the past ten years indicate a change in direction toward green energy.
Our company has seen consistent growth for more than a decade.
businessThe business has experienced steady improvement for a period exceeding ten years.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
spanning decades
lasting or covering many ten-year periods
the best part of a decade
almost ten years; most of a ten-year period
every decade
once every ten years
Often Confused With
Decay is a verb or noun referring to the process of rotting or declining, whereas decade is a measurement of ten years.
A century is one hundred years, whereas a decade is only ten years.
Usage Notes
The word is almost always used as a noun. When referring to specific historical periods, it is often pluralized and preceded by 'the', such as 'the 1990s' or 'the nineties'.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 'decade' with 'decay' due to similar spelling, or mistake the length of time for 100 years instead of 10.
Memory Tip
Remember the prefix 'deca-', which means ten, just like a 'decathlon' has ten different athletic events.
Word Origin
Derived from the Greek word 'dekas', which means a group of ten.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
In many cultures, decades are used to define generational identities and cultural trends, such as 'the swinging sixties'.
Quick Quiz
The technology has advanced significantly over the last _______, making smartphones accessible to everyone.
Correct!
The correct answer is: decade
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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