Ordinal Number Converter
An ordinal number shows position in a sequence: first, second, third, and so on. Type any whole number and this tool returns two things at once, the numeric ordinal with the correct st, nd, rd or th suffix, and the fully spelled-out ordinal in words. It applies the tricky 11 to 13 exception automatically, so 12 becomes 12th rather than 12nd, and it handles hundreds like 113th without you having to remember the rule.
How to convert a number to an ordinal
- Type a whole number into the Number field, for example 21.
- Read the Ordinal card, which shows the numeric form with the correct suffix, such as 21st.
- Read the In words card, which spells the ordinal out as text, such as twenty-first.
- Use the copy button next to either card to grab the value.
- Change the number to convert another value; results update as you type.
Examples
Twenty-first
21
21st (twenty-first)
The teens exception
112
112th (one hundred and twelfth)
A round hundred
100
100th (one hundredth)
Frequently asked questions
Why do 11, 12 and 13 end in th instead of st, nd and rd?
Whenever the last two digits fall between 11 and 13, English uses th regardless of the final digit. So you get 11th, 12th and 13th, not 11st, 12nd or 13rd. The tool checks the last two digits first, then falls back to the last digit for everything else.
How is the suffix chosen for numbers like 21, 22 and 23?
Outside the 11 to 13 range, the suffix follows the last digit: 1 takes st, 2 takes nd, 3 takes rd and every other digit takes th. That gives 21st, 22nd and 23rd, and also 41st, 62nd and 93rd.
What happens with 111, 112 and 113?
Their last two digits are in the 11 to 13 band, so they all end in th: 111th, 112th and 113th. The pattern resets afterwards, so 121 returns to 121st and 122 to 122nd.
Can it spell the ordinal out in words?
Yes. The In words output covers whole numbers from 0 to 1000, for example zeroth, twenty-first, one hundredth and one thousandth. It uses the British style with and, so 101 reads as one hundred and first.
What about numbers above 1000 or with decimals?
The numeric ordinal works for any whole number, so 5280 gives 5280th. The written words are only generated for 0 through 1000, and decimals are not ordinals, so a value like 3.5 is rejected with a prompt to enter a whole number.
Does it work with negative numbers?
For the numeric form, yes. It uses the size of the number to pick the suffix and keeps the sign, so -1 becomes -1st and -21 becomes -21st. Written words are not produced for negatives, since ordinal words describe forward position in a sequence.
How is zero handled?
Zero returns 0th and the word zeroth. Zeroth is used in fields like computing and physics, where counting sometimes starts from a zeroth item, so the tool spells it rather than treating zero as invalid.
Can I convert a whole list or range at once?
The tool converts one number at a time so each result stays clear and copyable. For a batch, the tool ships a JSON API you can call per value, which returns the number, its ordinal and its words in one response.
Is my input private?
Yes. The conversion runs entirely in your browser with plain arithmetic and lookup tables. Nothing you type is sent to a server or stored.
Learn more
- Ordinal Suffix Rules: When to Use st, nd, rd and th
A clear guide to English ordinal suffixes, why 11th to 13th break the pattern, and how to write ordinals for large numbers, dates and lists.
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