eleven

American  

[ih-lev-uhn] / ɪˈlɛv ən /

noun

1. a cardinal number, ten plus one.

2. a symbol for this number, such as 11 or XI.

3. a set or group of 11 people or things, such as a football or soccer team.

   The new forward plays a pivotal role in the Manchester eleven.

4. Also called eleven lines.  Informal. none elevens or 11s. a pair of vertical wrinkles that commonly develop between the eyebrows; frown lines.

   My dermatologist said he could fix my elevens with no injections or plastic surgery.

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adjective

1. amounting to one more than ten in number.

eleven British  

/ ɪˈlɛvən /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and one

2. a numeral 11, XI, etc, representing this number

3. something representing, represented by, or consisting of 11 units

4. (functioning as singular or plural) a team of 11 players in football, cricket, hockey, etc

5. Also called: eleven o'clock.  eleven hours after noon or midnight

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to eleven

      eleven chances

   2. ( as pronoun )

      have another eleven today

Usage

Spelling tips for 11 The word eleven (11) is hard to spell because the word sounds as if it should include the letter i [ ih-lev-uhn ]. How to spell eleven: The easiest way to remember how to spell eleven is that every other letter is an e. There are no other vowels. You simply take all of the consonant sounds (l, v, and n), and add an e between all of them: eLeVeN.

Etymology

Origin of eleven

First recorded before 900; Middle English elleven(e), Old English ellefne, endleofan; cognate with Old High German einlif ( German elf ), Old Norse ellifu, Gothic ainlib-, literally, one remaining (after counting ten). See one, leave ¹

Example Sentences

It joins a family of facial afflictions that also includes “necklace lines,” “Crows’ feet” and “elevens”—the wrinkles between the eyebrows.

From The Wall Street Journal

Once—I must have been ten or eleven—I asked Father about a poem we had read at school the winter before.

From Literature

“I’m getting worried. She was expected at eleven. Do you know how to reach her?”

From Literature

We go through the list again, and sure enough, eleven of the addresses we were able to find appear to be apartments.

From Literature

I’m supposed to do eleven miles this weekend—the longest run before the race!

From Literature