Twelve

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /twÉ›lv/
• Rhymes: -É›lv

Alternative forms

• Arabic numerals: 12
• Roman numerals: XII

Origin

From Middle English, from Old English twelf, from Proto-Germanic *twalif, an old compound of *twa- ("two") and *-lif ("left over"), from Proto-Indo-European *leikw- ("leave, remain"). Compare West Frisian tolve, Dutch twaalf, German zwölf, Danish tolf, Norwegian tolv.

Numeral

numeral

1. The cardinal number occurring after eleven and before thirteen, represented in Arabic numerals as 12 and in Roman numerals as XII.There are twelve months in a year.

Related terms

• Ordinal: twelfth

Full definition of twelve

Noun

1. A group of twelve items.Fractions would be a little easier if we counted by twelves.
2. A twelve-bore gun.
• 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 880:In this way Von Esslin ‘inherited’ two fine hammerless twelves which he used once or twice for duck on the Camargue.

Related terms

• twelfth