twelve

UK: /ˈtwɛlv/ US: /twɛlv/ ,(twelv)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

twelve /twɛlv/   n. [countable]

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.

adj. [before a noun]

4. amounting to 12 in number.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

twelve (twelv),  n. 

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

adj. 

5. amounting to 12 in number.

• bef. 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, leave¹, eleven

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

twelve / twɛlv/ noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of ten and two
   See also number1
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. amounting to twelve
2. (as pronoun): twelve have arrived
   See also dozen
   Related adjective(s): duodecimal

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