Make Your Point > Archived Issues > UMPTEEN
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pronounce
UMPTEEN:
Say it "UMP teen."
Or, if you prefer, "ump TEEN."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Like oodles and zillions, the word umpteen is slangy and silly.
If you're trying to sound serious instead, you might pick a word like my____ (meaning "a whole lot, perhaps as many as ten thousand") or le____ (meaning "many and vast, like the members of a great army").
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Here's some fun military slang dating back to 1919. "Umpty" (like "twenty") and "umpteen" both meant "some amount that's either unknown or enormous."
"Umpteen" in particular has stuck around as a slangy word meaning "many, several, a whole bunch, or some large unknown amount."
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Like other words for numbers and amounts, "umpteen" can be an adjective ("Why are there umpteen empty pizza boxes on the floor?") as well as a noun ("They have umpteen of these;" "Apparently I broke Rule Umpteen").
Other forms:
The adverb is "umpteenth," as in "That's my umpteenth robocall since lunch."
how to use it:
The rare word "umpteen" gives you a slangy, silly way to emphasize just how many of something there are, especially in exasperation: "Ugh, I have umpteen more reports to write this week." "That song is stuck in my head--sorry for singing the same line umpteen times."
As you'll see in the first example below, "umpteen" most often takes on a relaxed, conversational tone. But as the second example will show, "umpteen" can also inject some conversational color into an otherwise serious discussion.
And it can get dark! "Umpteen" can suggest that your exasperation has turned into bewilderment: that you're so flummoxed by how long something is taking, how many times something has happened, or many things must be accomplished or considered that you've lost the ability to keep count of things. "When I'd heard the song for the umpteenth time, the lyrics had blurred into a meaningless chant."
examples:
"I may not've had a date in umpteen years, but who does he think he is?"
— Kathryn Stockett, The Help, 2009
"You begin, while reading this volume, to fear nouns: They appear like links Mr. Leader is certain to click on and send himself down a rabbit hole. If the notion of motherhood comes into view, for example, we are off on how every mother has appeared in Bellow's oeuvre... These umpteen detours — on assimilation, brothers, businessmen, Judaism, petty crime, you name it — pluck one from Bellow's life for pages at a time."
— Dwight Garner, New York Times, 28 April 2015
has this page helped you understand "umpteen"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "umpteen" without saying "gobs" or "loads."
try it out:
Fill in the blank: "Oh, hey, it's the umpteenth _____ today!"
Example: "Oh, hey, it's the umpteenth YouTube ad today!"
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is "Clues in Cobbled Haikus."
Check out the haiku, cobbled together from the work of a famous writer, and see if you can identify the term it's suggesting.
Try this one today:
Cobbled from the work of T. S. Eliot, the haiku below suggests which of the following terms: rapscallion, lodestar, or esprit de l'escalier?
Shall I say...? Should I?
Turn back and descend the stair?
Muttering retreats.
To see the answer, scroll all the way down.
review this word:
A. FEW.
B. MATURE.
C. GLORIOUS.
2.
Describing his period of sheltering at home during the pandemic, Mitchell S Jackson says it lasted "40 days, 50 days, umpteen days," with "umpteen" precisely conveying his _____.
A. pleasure, amusement, and relaxation
B. annoyance, exasperation, and disorientation
C. fixation with scientific and mathematical precision
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Like oodles and zillions, the word umpteen is slangy and silly.
Here's some fun military slang dating back to 1919. "Umpty" (like "twenty") and "umpteen" both meant "some amount that's either unknown or enormous."
Part of speech:
The rare word "umpteen" gives you a slangy, silly way to emphasize just how many of something there are, especially in exasperation: "Ugh, I have umpteen more reports to write this week." "That song is stuck in my head--sorry for singing the same line umpteen times."
"I may not've had a date in umpteen years, but who does he think he is?"
Explain the meaning of "umpteen" without saying "gobs" or "loads."
Fill in the blank: "Oh, hey, it's the umpteenth _____ today!"
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |