twelve

American  

[twelv] / twɛlv /

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.

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adjective

1. amounting to 12 in number.

twelve British  

/ 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

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to twelve

      twelve loaves

   2. ( as pronoun ) See also dozen

      twelve have arrived

Etymology

Origin of twelve

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; see two, leave ¹, eleven

Example Sentences

Goldman Sachs foreign exchange strategy team led by Kamakshya Trivedi expects those drivers to start pushing the renminbi up toward the 6.50 they’re targeting in the next twelve months.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

They forecast USDCNY6.70 in six months and 6.5 in twelve.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

"We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months," spokesman Sean Parnell added.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

"We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

The sisters spent as many as twelve to fifteen hours a day in spirit work, with few breaks.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock