seven English · revision 3376

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=ine-pro *septḿ̥}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsev.ən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sevene]], [[inh|ang|seofon]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*sebun]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Old Saxon and Old High German [[m|goh|sibun]], Old Norse [[m|non|sjau]], Dutch [[m|nl|zeven]] and German [[m|de|sieben]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) It is from [[ine-pro|*septḿ̥|alt=*septm|t=seven]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Latin [[m|la|septem]], Greek [[m|grc|ἑπτά|tr=heptá]], Sanskrit saptá and Old Irish secht.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English seofon: about 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988) The OED's first quotation is from 971.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Seven'' has long been regarded as a number of perfection, as in the ''seven wonders'' and the ''seven sleepers'', but Etymonline says this notion is late in Old English.^(Etymonline) From about 1000 it was also used for a large number, especially of time,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and it is the typical number for “very great, strong”, as in ''seven-league boots''.^(Etymonline) As a throw in dice it is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and as the hour of seven o'clock by the early 15th century.^(Etymonline) Magical healing power has been associated with the seventh son since the 16th century.^(Etymonline) Word Origins notes how often the number appears in history and culture: the seven days of the week, the seven deadly sins, the seven dwarfs.^(Cresswell 2021) The American slang verb ''seven out'', to throw a losing seven at craps, is from 1934.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – ''seofon'', in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1000 – a large indefinite number.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – a throw in dice.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – seven o'clock.^(Etymonline)

+ * 16th century – the seventh son.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1934 – ''seven out'', in craps.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Number===

+ # The [[cardinal number]] equal to six plus one, written 7.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The seventh in a set or series.^(AHD)

+ # A set or group of seven.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[seventh]]

+ * [[seventeen]]

+ * [[seventy]]

+ * [[September]]

+ * [[hepta-]]

+ * [[septet]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}