seventeen

UK: ˌsev.ənˈtiːn | US: ˌsev.ənˈtiːn

Definition

  1. n. the cardinal number equal to the sum of ten and seven (17).

Structure
seven <7>teen <group of 10>
Etymology

seventeen = seven<7> + teen<group of 10>

  • seven: From Old English seofon, Proto-Germanic sebun, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European septḿ̥. Retains its core meaning of the number 7.
  • teen: From Old English -tīene (variant of -tēn), a suffix denoting a group of ten. Derived from tīen (ten), linked to Proto-Germanic tehun.

Etymology Origin:
The word seventeen follows the Germanic pattern of combining a unit digit (seven) with the -teen suffix (indicating "ten more"). This structure is shared across Germanic languages (e.g., German siebzehn, Dutch zeventien), reflecting a logical additive system for numbers 13–19. The -teen suffix evolved from Old English -tīene, emphasizing its role in forming teens by linking to the base "ten."

Examples

  1. She turned seventeen last month.

  2. The recipe requires seventeen grams of sugar.

  3. Seventeen students attended the workshop.

  4. Chapter seventeen of the book is the most thrilling.

  5. The train departs at seventeen minutes past the hour.