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Meaning & use

VIII

number·Academictechnical

Last updated

UK/ˌvaɪ ˈeɪt/
US/ˌvaɪ ˈeɪt/

Meanings

  1. numbertechnical

    The Roman numeral for the number 8, written as V plus III.

    Grammar: Used as a written symbol before or after nouns; say "eight" or "the eighth" when speaking.

    Patterns

    • VIII (in a list or title)
    • Chapter VIII
    • Henry VIII
    • World War VIII (invented example of a title)

    The clock face shows VIII at the bottom, opposite II at the top.

    In the outline, the final section is labeled VIII.

    King Henry VIII is usually read aloud as "Henry the Eighth."

  2. numbertechnical

    The eighth item in a numbered series, such as a chapter, king, or film title.

    Grammar: Comes after a name or title: Elizabeth VIII, Part VIII.

    Patterns

    • Part VIII
    • Act VIII
    • Elizabeth VIII

    Turn to Part VIII for the conclusion of the report.

    The festival's eighth edition was billed as Festival VIII.

    She played the role of Queen Elizabeth VIII in the school play.

Common combinations

Chapter VIII
Chapter VIII explains how the experiment was repeated.
Henry VIII
Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s.
Part VIII
The final exam covers Part VIII of the textbook.
Super Bowl VIII
Super Bowl VIII was played in 1974.
Act VIII
The play's Act VIII was added in a later revision.

Synonyms and how they differ

8
The everyday Arabic numeral; use "8" in normal writing and VIII mainly in formal or traditional numbering.
eight
The spoken and written word; use "eight" in ordinary sentences and VIII as a symbol.
eighth
The ordinal word meaning "number eight in order"; use it when reading VIII aloud after a name, as in Henry the Eighth.

Word family

V number
Roman numeral for five, the first part of VIII.
III number
Roman numeral for three, the second part of VIII.
IIX number
A rare, nonstandard old spelling sometimes seen for eight; standard form is VIII.

Commonly confused: VIII or VII? VIII or IX?

VIII vs VII

VII is the Roman numeral for seven (V plus II); VIII has one more stroke and means eight.

VIII vs IX

IX is the Roman numeral for nine, written with I before X; VIII is eight, written with V before III.

Practice

A film is titled "Rocky VIII." How do you usually read the numeral aloud?

Make it your own

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