Etymologically
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fourteen

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 16:12. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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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

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