fourteen

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfɔː.tiːn/, /ˌfɔːˈtiːn/ (UK); /ˈfɔɹ.tin/, /ˌfɔɹtˈtin/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English fourtene, inherited from Old English fēowertīene (also fēowertȳne),^[2][3][4] from fēower (“four”) and -tīene (“-teen”) (see four and -teen).^[2][3][4] Similar formations are Old Saxon fiertein, Old Frisian fiuwertine, Dutch veertien, German vierzehn, Danish fjorten and Gothic 𐍆𐌹𐌳𐍅𐍉𐍂𐍄𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌿𐌽 (fidwortaihun).^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 950 in the OED;^[5] Etymonline dates the Middle English form to about 1300.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Fourteen night, a fortnight, is Old English (before 1000) and now obsolete.^[5] A fourteen-shilling piece was called a fourteen from 1693.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 950 – fēowertīene.^[5]
• before 1000 – fourteen night, a fortnight.^[5]
• c. 1300 – fourtene.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The cardinal number equal to thirteen plus one, written 14 or XIV.

Adjective

1. Amounting to fourteen.

Word family

• fourteenth
• fortnight
• fourteener

Related words

• four
• fourth
• forty
• -teen

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press