fifteen
UK: ˌfɪfˈtiːn | US: ˌfɪfˈtiːn
n. the number equivalent to the sum of ten and five; 15.
fifteen = five<5> + teen<group of 10>
- five: From Old English fīf, meaning "5," derived from Proto-Germanic fimf and ultimately Proto-Indo-European penkʷe.
- teen: From Old English -tīene, a suffix used to form numbers 13–19, meaning "group of ten" (related to ten).
Etymology Origin:
The word fifteen combines five (5) and -teen (a suffix denoting "ten more"), reflecting its literal meaning of "five plus ten." This structure is consistent with other Old English numerals (e.g., fourteen, sixteen), where the unit digit precedes the -teen suffix. The -teen suffix evolved from tīene, an inflected form of tīen (ten), emphasizing its role in counting beyond ten.
She celebrated her fifteenth birthday with a trip to Paris.
The team scored fifteen points in the first quarter.
Fifteen students volunteered for the science project.
The recipe requires fifteen minutes of baking time.
He finished the race in fifteen seconds flat.