twelve

[twelv]

noun

1. a cardinal number, 10 plus 2.

2. a symbol for this number, as 12 or XII.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. the Twelve, the 12 apostles chosen by Christ.

adjective

1. amounting to 12 in number.

twelve

/ twɛlv /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and two See also number

2. a numeral, 12, XII, etc, representing this number

3. something represented by, representing, or consisting of 12 units

4. Also called: twelve o'clock. noon or midnight

determiner

1. 1. amounting to twelve

      twelve loaves

   2. ( as pronoun ) See also dozen

      twelve have arrived

Word History and Origins

Origin of twelve¹

before 900; Middle English twelve, inflected form of twelf, Old English twelfe literally, (ten and) two leave, i.e., two left over; cognate with Old Frisian twelef, twelf, Old High German zwelif, Old Norse tōlf, Gothic twalif; compare Lithuanian dvýlika; two, leave ¹, eleven

Word History and Origins

Origin of twelve¹

Old English twelf ; related to Old Frisian twelif , Old High German zwelif , Old Norse tolf , Gothic twalif

Example Sentences

Each pack includes twelve pieces of buttery puff pastry filled with creamy feta and cream cheese that’s topped with caramelized onions.

From Salon

But to persuade you of that, the government will want to look more convincingly in control than in its first twelve months.

From BBC

In Manchester, if a resident provides a letter from a clinician showing they have less than twelve months to live, they no longer have to pay council tax.

From BBC

After the state government declared it would approve the mine without Indigenous consent, seven out of twelve W&J family groups signed a land agreement with Adani in exchange for a community fund.

From BBC

But our group, who all voted Labour last time, certainly had a strong sense of what has happened to the government they elected just twelve months ago, and it wasn't pretty.

From BBC