English
eleven
Eleven comes from Proto-Germanic *ainalif ‘one left’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyp-‘to stick’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lībaną‘to remain, to be left’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ainalif‘one left’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame formreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*ainalifunreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150endleofan
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elleven
- Englishearliest quotation 1926eleven
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leyp-‘to stick’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*lībaną‘to remain, to be left’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ainalif‘one left’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame formreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*ainalifunreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150endleofan
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elleven
- Englishearliest quotation 1926eleven
Earliest quotation: 1926, J. Conoboy: “Sneeze is well known by all followers of U.…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’
living, live, lib, lipid, lifeguard, lifeless, lipa, 15 more
through Proto-Germanic *lībaną ‘to remain, to be left’
Today it means
num The cardinal number occurring after ten and before twelve. Represented as 11 in Arabic digits.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leyp- / eleven