vingtaine

about twenty, a score of

noun van-TEN Rare

Usage Note

vingtaine is a collective numeral noun expressing an approximate quantity of around twenty, parallel to dizaine (~ten) and centaine (~hundred). It is always feminine and takes de before the noun it quantifies: une vingtaine de personnes ('about twenty people'). The final -t of vingt is silent. Une vingtaine d'années also commonly means 'one's twenties' in age.

Examples

"Une vingtaine de personnes étaient présentes."

Natural Translation

About twenty people were present.

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