English
eleventeen
Eleventeen comes from Middle English elleven ‘eleven’, from Proto-Germanic *lībaną ‘to remain, to be left’, and ultimately from 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‘eleven’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame form‘eleven’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*ainalifunreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150endleofan‘eleven’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elleven‘eleven’
- English1500–presenteleven
- Englishearliest quotation 1600seleventeen
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‘eleven’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CEsame form‘eleven’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanic, derivedc. 200–500 CE*ainalifunreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150endleofan‘eleven’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elleven‘eleven’
- English1500–presenteleven
- Englishearliest quotation 1600seleventeen
Earliest quotation: 1600s, Wither: “Many giglets I have married seen / Ere they…”
A compound of eleven + -teen
Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’
…
Proto-West Germanic *ainalif
Proto-West Germanic *ainalifun
Old English endleofan
Middle English elleven
English eleven
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ‘to stick’
live, living, lib, lipid, lifeguard, lifeless, lipa, 15 more
through Proto-Germanic *lībaną ‘to remain, to be left’
Today it means
num Twenty-one (21).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leyp- / eleventeen