---
name: "Lingua::EN::Numbers::Ordinate"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-lingua-en-numbers-ordinate"
version: "1.05-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Lingua::EN::Numbers::Ordinate"
---

# Lingua::EN::Numbers::Ordinate(3pm)

## NAME

Lingua::EN::Numbers::Ordinate -- go from cardinal number (3) to ordinal ("3rd")

## SYNOPSIS

```
  use Lingua::EN::Numbers::Ordinate;
  print ordinate(4), "\n";
   # prints 4th
  print ordinate(-342), "\n";
   # prints -342nd
  # Example of actual use:
  ...
  for(my $i = 0; $i < @records; $i++) {
    unless(is_valid($record[$i]) {
      warn "The ", ordinate($i), " record is invalid!\n";
      next;
    }
    ...
  }
```

## DESCRIPTION

There are two kinds of numbers in English -- cardinals (1, 2, 3...), and ordinals (1st, 2nd, 3rd...).  This library provides functions for giving the ordinal form of a number, given its cardinal value.

## FUNCTIONS

- ordinate(SCALAR)

  Returns a string consisting of that scalar's string form, plus the appropriate ordinal suffix.  Example: `ordinate(23)` returns "23rd".

  As a special case, `ordinate(undef)` and `ordinate("")` return "0th", not "th".

  This function is exported by default.

- th(SCALAR)

  Merely an alias for `"ordinate"`, but not exported by default.

- ordsuf(SCALAR)

  Returns just the appropriate ordinal suffix for the given scalar numeric value.  This is what `"ordinate"` uses to actually do its work.  For example, `ordsuf(3)` is "rd".

  Not exported by default.

The above functions are all prototyped to take a scalar value, so `ordinate(@stuff)` is the same as `"ordinate(scalar @stuff)"`.

## CAVEATS

\* Note that this library knows only about numbers, not number-words. `ordinate('seven')` might just as well be `ordinate('superglue')` or `ordinate("\x1E\x9A")` -- you'll get the fallthru case of the input string plus "th".

\* As is unavoidable, `ordinate(0256)` returns "174th" (because ordinate sees the value 174). Similarly, `ordinate(1E12)` returns "1000000000000th".  Returning "trillionth" would be nice, but that's an awfully atypical case.

\* Note that this library's algorithm (as well as the basic concept and implementation of ordinal numbers) is totally language specific.

To pick a trivial example, consider that in French, 1 ordinates as "1ier", whereas 41 ordinates as "41ieme".

## SEE ALSO

Lingua::EN::Inflect provides an `"ORD"` function, which returns the ordinal form of a cardinal number.

Lingua::EN::Number::IsOrdinal provides an `"is_ordinal"` function, which returns true if passed an ordinal number.

Lingua::EN::Numbers provides function `num2en_ordinal()` which will take a number and return the ordinal as a word. So 3 will result in "third".

## REPOSITORY

\<https://github.com/neilb/Lingua-EN-Numbers-Ordinate\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2000 Sean M. Burke.  All rights reserved.

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

## AUTHOR

Sean M. Burke `"sburke@cpan.org"`

This has been maintained by Neil Bowers (NEILB) since 2014.