"twenty-something" and "twenty-odd"

[Daruma]

Hello.

odd
(no comparative or superlative; usually placed immediately after a number) approximately or a little more than the number mentioned:
How old is she—seventy odd?
He’s worked there for twenty-odd years.

something
an amount that is more than a specified number —used in combination
▪ His friends are all twentysomething singles. [=his friends are single people between the ages of 20 and 29]
▪ The bill came to fifty-something dollars.

Are both "twentysomething" and "twenty-something" correct? They mean 20 to 29, don't they? What about "twenty-odd"? 20, 21, 22 and 23?

Thank you.

[jlinger]

I do not believe that twenty-something has evolved into a single word, without hyphen, yet. It may have; I often miss these events.

"Twenty-something" describes a state of mind and behaviour, as much as a number. And yes, "twenty-odd" suggests a number greater than twenty, but probably closer to 20 than it is to 30.

[dragn]

I do not believe that twenty-something has evolved into a single work, without hyphen, yet. I may have; I often miss these events.

You didn't miss anything. The hyphen should still be there.

Greg

[Raymott]

They both refer to ages unless used differently from normal.
Twenty-odd could refer to a 19 year old. There's no suggestion that person who looks "20-odd" has to be 20 or over. They look about/around 20.

[bhaisahab]

Twenty-odd could refer to a 19 year old. There's no suggestion that person who looks "20-odd" has to be 20 or over. They look about/around 20.

Would that not be twenty-ish?

[Raymott]

Would that not be twenty-ish?

Yes, that would be a more common way to refer to an age; but 20-odd is also used here. In either case, a person who is 20-ish could still be 19.
Yes, it can refer to things other than age.
Something that cost $48.90 could be described as costing 50-odd dollars, but not 50-something dollars. That was my main point.

[jlinger]

I would vote on the side of "20-ish" for someone who looks 20 regardless of their age. But to say they look like they are 20-odd years is to suggest MORE than 20 to me. And it's even more clear when you use the $48.90 example. I would never say it cost 50-odd dollars. I would say, "about 50 dollars" but never 50-odd. That would clearly overstate its cost. To me, anyway.

[Raymott]

I would vote on the side of "20-ish" for someone who looks 20 regardless of their age. But to say they look like they are 20-odd years is to suggest MORE than 20 to me. And it's even more clear when you use the $48.90 example. I would never say it cost 50-odd dollars. I would say, "about 50 dollars" but never 50-odd. That would clearly overstate its cost. To me, anyway.

Then we use it differently in Australia.