What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
eighth
Example
He came in eighth place in the race. [eighth: adjective]
Example
I need an eighth of a cup of sugar for this recipe. [eighth: noun]
Example
The melody starts with an eighth note followed by two quarter notes. [eighth: musical term]
octave
Example
The song's chorus repeats the same melody but in a higher octave. [octave: musical term]
Example
The piano has a range of seven and a quarter octaves. [octave: noun]
Example
The radio station broadcasts on the FM band, which covers the frequency range from 88 to 108 megahertz, or roughly two octaves. [octave: technical term]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Eighth is more commonly used than octave in everyday language, especially in fractions or ordinal numbers. Octave is more specialized and is mainly used in music or technical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between eighth and octave?
Both eighth and octave can be used in formal or technical contexts, but octave is more likely to be used in technical or scientific writing due to its specialized meaning.
