twelve English · revision 5812

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 888}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|twelve]], [[inh|ang|twelf]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[gem-pro|*twalif]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) a compound of *twa- “two” (see [[two]]) and *lif- “left over”, from the root of [[leave]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) so literally “two left over” after counting ten,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from PIE [[ine-pro|*dwo-|t=two]] and [[ine-pro|*leikw-|t=to leave]].^(Etymonline) Old Saxon twelif, Dutch twaalf, German zwölf, Old Norse tolf and Gothic twalif are cognates,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and Lithuanian dvylika, with -lika “left over”, is a parallel formation.^(Etymonline) Compare [[eleven]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The number: about 888 in the OED; before 899 in Barnhart, in Alfred's translation of Boethius.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern form twelve is from about 1175.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) ''Twelfth'' replaced Old English twelfta before 1387,^(Barnhart 1988) and Old English had twelftan niht, Twelfth Night, in 878.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Etymonline notes twelve as the number of the Apostles, the tribes of Israel, the signs of the zodiac and the labours of Hercules.^(Etymonline) In the Bible, ''the Twelve'' are the Apostles, or the twelve Minor Prophets.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 878 – twelftan niht, Twelfth Night.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 888 – twelf.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1175 – twelve.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1387 – ''twelfth''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Numeral===

+ # The [[number]] that is one more than eleven; 12.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A group or set of twelve; twelve o'clock, noon or [[midnight]].^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(the Twelve)'' The twelve [[Apostle|alt=Apostles]] of Jesus.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[twelfth]]

+ * [[twelvemo]]

+ * [[twelvemonth]]

+ * [[Twelver]]

+ * [[twelve-inch]]

+ * [[twelve-tone]]

+ * [[twelve-tone technique]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[eleven]]

+ * [[two]]

+ * [[leave]]

+ * [[dozen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}