Twelve definition

twĕlv
Totaling two more than ten.
adjective
15
2
The cardinal number equal to the sum of 11 + 1.
noun
11
4
Any group of twelve persons or things; dozen.
noun
8
1
The twelfth in a set or sequence.
noun
7
2
The twelve original disciples of Jesus.
noun
5
1
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The cardinal number between eleven and thirteen; 12; XII.
noun
3
2
The books of the Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures.
noun
1
0
A group of twelve items.

Fractions would be a little easier if we counted by twelves.

noun
1
0
A twelve-bore gun.
noun
1
0
Something numbered twelve or having twelve units, as a throw of dice, etc.
noun
1
2
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the Twelve
  • the Twelve Apostles
idiom
3
2

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
twelve
Plural:
twelves

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

the Twelve

Origin of twelve

  • Middle English from Old English twelf dwo- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • 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.

    From Wiktionary

Twelve Sentence Examples

  • I was then twelve years old.

  • I'm not afraid of him, just because he's twelve feet tall and can bench press me with his toes.

  • The porcelain clock on the wall proclaimed the time as ten minutes until twelve, but it didn't seem that late.

  • I was twelve that summer.

  • The kid on the bed was closer to twelve than five, and near her height.

More sentences

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Also Mentioned In

Words near twelve in the Dictionary