How Do You Spell TWELVE?

Pronunciation: [twˈɛlv] (IPA)

The word "twelve" is an interesting example of English spelling. Despite having only six letters, it contains a cluster of consonants that can be challenging to pronounce for non-native speakers. The IPA phonetic transcription for "twelve" is /twɛlv/, which shows that the 'w' is pronounced as a voiceless approximant, similar to the 'v' sound in "vase". The 'e' at the end indicates that the 'l' is pronounced, making it a total of two syllables- "twel-ve". Despite its tricky spelling, this word is often used in everyday conversations and is essential to learn for English language learners.

Meaning and Definition
Top Common Misspellings
Other Common Misspellings
Etymology
Idioms
Similar spelling words
Basic Check Advanced Check

TWELVE Meaning and Definition

  1. Twelve is a cardinal number that represents the quantity or number that follows eleven and precedes thirteen. It belongs to the base-10 numerical system commonly used worldwide. It is denoted by the digit "12" and is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "twalif" which signifies "two left."

    Twelve is a highly divisible number because it has multiple factors. It can be evenly divided by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and itself, making it a superior highly composite number. By having a variety of factors, the number twelve has numerous application possibilities in mathematics and other fields.

    In a cultural context, the number twelve holds significant symbolic and practical meanings. It is the number of months in a Gregorian calendar year, hours on a clock face, and signs in the Zodiac. The use of twelve also appears in various religious and mythological contexts, such as the Twelve Apostles in Christianity and the Twelve Olympians in Greek mythology.

    In colloquial language, "twelve" is often used idiomatically to represent secrecy or concealment, as in "He sang like a bird until the clock struck twelve." It can also refer to completeness or entirety, as in "The package contained a dozen items, so there were twelve in total."

    Overall, twelve encompasses mathematical significance, cultural symbolism, and linguistic usage, making it an intriguing and versatile number that holds various meanings.

  2. The first number after eleven; two and ten; a dozen.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for TWELVE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for TWELVE

Etymology of TWELVE

The word "twelve" comes from the Old English word "twelf", which is derived from the Old English "twā", meaning "two", and "lif", meaning "leftover or remaining". This word construction is based on a base-12 counting system, where "two left over" represents the number 12. It is believed that the base-12 counting system was widely used among ancient civilizations due to the ease of counting using one's fingers (with three segments on each of the four fingers instead of five). The term "twelve" has remained unchanged in its basic form throughout the centuries, though its pronunciation and spelling have evolved.

Idioms with the word TWELVE

  • twelve good men and true The idiom "twelve good men and true" refers to a jury of twelve individuals who are seen as impartial, honest, and dedicated to the pursuit of justice. It emphasizes the importance of having a fair and unbiased group of people to make a decision or reach a verdict in a legal context.
  • the Twelve The idiom "the Twelve" commonly refers to the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who were chosen to be his closest followers and to spread his teachings.

Similar spelling words for TWELVE

  • delf(t),
  • TALPHA,
  • tuluva,
  • JISR-TLF,
  • DDWLF,
  • twelve-pack,
  • twelve-bar,
  • TLOYF,
  • DIALIF,
  • Twelve-penny,
  • twelve-foot,
  • HTLVIII,
  • Delfa,
  • TDALF,
  • tolve,
  • TAALV,
  • Delpha,
  • HTLV1,
  • delfeayo,
  • tailevu,
  • RPM-TLV,
  • delvaux,
  • DELHF,
  • dolphy,
  • twelve-sided,
  • TLV/STEL,
  • twelve-pence,
  • twelve-string,
  • tuilevu,
  • delvoye,
  • dollfie,
  • TWELVE-MONTH,,
  • TELEPH,
  • TLFO,
  • dewolff,
  • twelve-hour,
  • TLV,
  • talf,
  • TLOFW,
  • twelve-story,
  • twelve-year-old,
  • twelve-inch,
  • disleaf,
  • DELFI,
  • tolfa,
  • HDELF,
  • Delfo,
  • DLHAVA,
  • delv,
  • TELEV,
  • telefe,
  • dialefe,
  • TILLV,
  • DDELV,
  • TPM-TLV,
  • dehlvi,
  • Disleave,
  • DTILF,
  • twelve-round,
  • deleave,
  • TELEPH.,
  • DDALV,
  • dewolf,
  • teleview,
  • twelve-day,
  • DLF,
  • HTALF,
  • DYLIYF,
  • WTILF,
  • delphy,
  • TLV/SKIN,
  • toleave,
  • dalva,
  • HTLVI,
  • DLLF,
  • HTLV-I/II,
  • twelve-gauge,
  • TTOLV,
  • telephia,
  • delf,
  • Dislive,
  • HTLV-3,
  • twelve-note,
  • diaghilev,
  • twelve-minute,
  • Dolloff,
  • DHLF,
  • TOLEF,
  • delve,
  • TLF1,
  • Twelve-month,
  • DLAHF,
  • delfay,
  • twelve-year-olds,
  • DLVY,
  • dolev,
  • -delphia,
  • delphi,
  • TALPHA1,
  • Dalleva,
  • DTELF,
  • tilove,
  • Diluvia,
  • dewolfe,
  • twelve-monthly,
  • tailoff,
  • twelve-tone,
  • DLFW,
  • DELPHO,
  • TLFF/CC,
  • Dolph,
  • Delph,
  • TLIHF,
  • DELFE,
  • tuleyev,
  • DALAVIA,
  • htlv-1,
  • TALHFA,
  • daylife,
  • TULV,
  • DLEIF,
  • PSS-TLV,
  • Dolf,
  • twelve-step,
  • DYLIYF4,
  • HTLV,
  • del fi,
  • tilfah,
  • TLF,
  • TLUV,
  • talavou,
  • tealeaf,
  • Dalf,
  • twelve-thirty,
  • HTLV-III/LAV,
  • TULF,
  • TLEAF,
  • twelve-member,
  • Delphia,
  • IPM-TLV,
  • twelve-year,
  • TLV/C.

Infographic

Correct spelling for twelve
Add the infographic to your website: