Meaning & use
XXXI
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Meanings
number
The Roman numeral for the number thirty-one (31).
Grammar: Read aloud as 'thirty-one', not letter by letter, when it stands for a number.
Patterns
- XXXI = 31
The final chapter of the book is numbered XXXI.
Super Bowl XXXI was played in January 1997.
numberafter a verb
Used after a name to show the thirty-first person to hold a title.
Grammar: Comes directly after a name or title: King Henry XXXI; spoken as 'the thirty-first'.
Patterns
- Name XXXI
In the story, the throne passes to Louis XXXI.
The plaque honors Elizabeth XXXI of the fictional kingdom.
Common combinations
- chapter XXXI
- Chapter XXXI explains how the empire finally fell.
- Super Bowl XXXI
- Super Bowl XXXI is remembered for its dramatic finish.
- Henry XXXI
- The play ends with the coronation of Henry XXXI.
Synonyms and how they differ
- 31
- Use the Arabic numerals for everyday writing and math; XXXI is mainly for formal or traditional contexts.
- thirty-one
- This is how you say XXXI out loud; write the words in ordinary prose.
Word family
- XXX number
- The Roman numeral for thirty.
- XXXII number
- The Roman numeral for thirty-two.
Commonly confused: XXXI or XIX? XXXI or XXXL?
XXXI vs XIX
XIX is nineteen, not thirty-one; check the order of the symbols, since a smaller symbol before a larger one means subtraction.
XXXI vs XXXL
XXXL is a clothing size, not a Roman numeral, and the L changes the meaning completely.
Practice
Which number does the Roman numeral XXXI represent?
Choose one answer.
XXX (30) plus I (1) gives 31. Choosing 29 would mean XXIX, where the I comes before the X and is subtracted.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “XXXI”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.