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Eleven

 - 3 dictionary results

e⋅lev⋅en

  [i-lev-uhn]
Use Eleven in a Sentence
–noun
1. a cardinal number, ten plus one.
2. a symbol for this number, as 11 or XI.
3. a set of this many persons or things, as a football team.
–adjective
4. amounting to eleven in number.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME elleven(e), OE ellefne, endleofan; c. OHG einlif (G elf), ON ellifu, Goth ainlib-, lit., one remaining (after counting 10). See one, leave 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Eleven
e·lev·en   (ĭ-lěv'ən)   
n.  

  1. The cardinal number equal to 10 + 1.

  2. The 11th in a set or sequence.

  3. Something with 11 parts or members, especially a football team.


[Middle English elleven, from Old English endleofan; see oi-no- in Indo-European roots.]
e·lev'en adj. & pron.
Word History: The decimal system of counting is well established in the English names for numbers. Both the suffix -teen (as in fourteen) and the suffix -ty (as in forty) are related to the word ten. But what about the anomalous eleven and twelve? Why do we not say oneteen, twoteen along the same pattern as thirteen, fourteen, fifteen? Eleven in Old English is endleofan, and related forms in the various Germanic languages point back to an original Germanic *ainlif, "eleven." *Ainlif is composed of *ain-, "one," the same as our one, and the suffix *-lif from the Germanic root *lib-, "to adhere, remain, remain left over." Thus, eleven is literally "one-left" (over, that is, past ten), and twelve is "two-left" (over past ten).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

eleven 
O.E. endleofan, lit. "one left" (over ten), from P.Gmc. *ainlif- (cf. Goth. ain-lif), a compound of *ain "one" + PIE *leikw- "leave, remain" (cf. Gk. leipein "to leave behind;" see relinquish). Viking survivors who escaped an Anglo-Saxon victory were daroþa laf "the leavings of spears," while hamora laf "the leavings of hammers" was an O.E. kenning for "swords" (both from "The Battle of Brunanburgh"). Eng. twelve reflects the same formation; outside Gmc. the only instance of this formation is in Lith., which uses it all the way to 19 (vienio-lika "eleven," dvy-lika "twelve," try-lika "thirteen," keturio-lika "fourteen," etc.) Phrase eleventh hour is from Matthew xx:1-16.
FIREFLY: Give me a number from 1 to 10.
CHICOLINI: eleven!
FIREFLY: Right!
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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