eleven
- a cardinal number, ten plus one.
- a symbol for this number, as 11 or XI.
- a set of this many persons or things, as a football team.
- amounting to eleven in number.
Origin of eleven
Examples from the Web for eleven
Contemporary Examples
One morning at about eleven, he announces his intention as though it's truly an unusual thought: “Let's have a little drink.”
Yet the undocumented population remains upwards eleven million.
Eleven thousand aircraft would bomb preparation and give them air cover.
Eleven children under the age of 13 have been shot in the city of Milwaukee so far this year.
Skoller relates how lucky he was for a hung jury—the final, deadlocked vote was eleven to one, for acquittal.
Historical Examples
Stop for us at the Laurels, about eleven, or p'r'aps I'll stroll over and get you.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Saddled up and reached camp at eleven o'clock, and found all well.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
"I've got eleven dollars and fifty cents in my pocket," Andrew said frankly.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
It was after eleven o'clock when Evelyn rose to go to her room.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton CampusJessie Graham Flower
About eleven or twelve years ago Trevillo made his appearance here.
Rico and WiseliJohanna Spyri
eleven
- the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one
- a numeral 11, XI, etc, representing this number
- something representing, represented by, or consisting of 11 units
- (functioning as singular or plural) a team of 11 players in football, cricket, hockey, etc
- Also called: eleven o'clock eleven hours after noon or midnight
- amounting to eleveneleven chances
- (as pronoun)have another eleven today
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for eleven
n.
c.1200, elleovene, from Old English endleofan, literally "one left" (over ten), from Proto-Germanic *ainlif- (cf. Old Saxon elleban, Old Frisian andlova, Dutch elf, Old High German einlif, German elf, Old Norse ellifu, Gothic ainlif), a compound of *ain "one" (see one) + PIE *leikw- "leave, remain" (cf. Greek leipein "to leave behind;" see relinquish).
FIREFLY: Give me a number from 1 to 10.
CHICOLINI: eleven!
FIREFLY: Right!
Viking survivors who escaped an Anglo-Saxon victory were daroþa laf "the leavings of spears," while hamora laf "the leavings of hammers" was an Old English kenning for "swords" (both from "The Battle of Brunanburgh"). Twelve reflects the same formation. Outside Germanic the only instance of this formation is in Lithuanian, which uses -lika "left over" and continues the series to 19 (vienio-lika "eleven," dvy-lika "twelve," try-lika "thirteen," keturio-lika "fourteen," etc.) Phrase eleventh hour (1829) is from Matthew xx:1-16.