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Thirteen

 - 3 dictionary results

thir⋅teen

  [thur-teen]
–noun
1. a cardinal number, 10 plus 3.
2. a symbol for this number, as 13 or XIII.
3. a set of this many persons or things.
–adjective
4. amounting to 13 in number.
Use Thirteen in a Sentence
Origin:
bef. 900; late ME thirttene, var. of ME thrittene, OE thrēotēne; c. D dertien, G dreizehn, ON threttān. See three, -teen
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To Thirteen
thir·teen   (thûr-tēn')   
n.  

  1. The cardinal number that is equal to the sum of 12 + 1.

  2. The 13th in a set or sequence.

  3. Something having 13 parts, units, or members.


[Middle English thyrtene, alteration of thrittene, from Old English thrēotīne; see trei- in Indo-European roots.]
thir·teen' adj. & pron.
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

thirteen 
c.1430, metathesis of O.E. þreotene (Mercian), þreotiene (W.Saxon), from þreo "three" + -tene (see -teen). Cf. O.Fris. thretten, Du. dertien, Ger. dreizehn. Not an unlucky number in medieval England, but associated rather with the customary "extra item" (e.g. baker's dozen). Superstitions began with association with the Last Supper, and the unluckiness of 13 sitting down together to dine (attested from 1695). Most of the modern superstitions (buildings with floor "12-A," etc.) have developed since 1890.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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