If a Decade is 10 years, is there a Word For 20, 30, and 40?

Answer: Yes, there are words for multiples of a decade, including “score” for 20 years, “trenta” for 30 years, and “quadraginta” for 40 years.

These terms are based on Latin roots and are less commonly used in everyday language compared to “decade” for 10 years or “century” for 100 years.

• “Score” comes from the Old English word “scor,” meaning “twenty.” It’s often used poetically or in historical contexts, such as Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech beginning with “Four score and seven years ago.”
• “Trenta” is derived from the Latin word for thirty, “triginta.” It’s less common in English but occasionally used in literature or formal writing.
• “Quadraginta” is the Latin word for forty, from which we get “quadragesimal” for the period of Lent in Christian tradition.

These terms are not as widely recognized as “decade” but can be used for specific purposes, particularly in literary or historical contexts, to refer to multiples of ten years.