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umpteen

[ uhmp-teen ]

/ ˈʌmpˈtin /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR umpteen ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Informal.

innumerable; many.

Also ump·steen

[uhmp-steen] /ˈʌmpˈstin/, um·teen.

Origin of umpteen

1915–20; ump(ty), fanciful designation for an indeterminate number (with -ty as in twenty, etc.) + -teen

Words nearby umpteen

ump, umph, umpie, umpirage, umpire, umpteen, umpteenth, umpty-umpth, umt, umtali, umtata

Example sentences from the Web for umpteen

Fifty states, umpteen localities, all of them with different rules not only about the rate of tax, but which items are exempt.

Congress Is Considering a Bill to Make Internet Firms Collect Sales Tax. Here’s Why They Shouldn’t Pass It. |Megan McArdle |April 24, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
I got home at 1:30 AM and there were umpteen frantic messages from my friends.

They Murdered My Friend |Sandra McElwaine |November 17, 2008 |DAILY BEAST
Well, about ten minutes afterwards most of us were taken with umpteen fits.

The Princess of the School |Angela Brazil
I've made my fortune three times over, and I've got umpteen thousands more than I need for myself or Mothereen.

Vision House |C. N. Williamson

And at that it's five o'clock before I'm landed at a little flag station umpteen miles beyond nowhere.

Torchy |Sewell Ford
Zeligs of umpteen disguises and ever changing, shimmering loyalties.

After the Rain |Sam Vaknin
We've had umpteen extra drills and parades and kit inspections.

Combed Out |Fritz August Voigt

British Dictionary definitions for umpteen

umpteen

/ (ˌʌmpˈtiːn) /

determiner

informal

very manyumpteen things to do
(as pronoun)umpteen of them came

Derived forms of umpteen

umpteenth, noun, adjective

Word Origin for umpteen

C20: from umpty a great deal (perhaps from -enty as in twenty) + -teen ten