ENGLISH
REFERENCE

eleven

num. · n.
US //ˈiɫɛvən// UK //ɪlˈɛvən// eleven
  1. 1 the number 11 (num.)
    A1 Beginner Math

    the number that comes after ten and before twelve.

    the cardinal number occurring between ten and twelve.

    Example

    There are eleven players on each side during a soccer match.

    Example

    The clock struck eleven just as the final guests were departing from the evening gala.

  2. 2 a sports team (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Sport

    a team in sports like cricket or football that has eleven players.

    a collective noun for a sports team consisting of eleven members, particularly in cricket or association football.

    Example

    He was proud to be selected for the school's first eleven.

    Example

    The manager struggled to name a consistent starting eleven due to a series of unfortunate injuries during the pre-season tour.
  3. 3 extreme or off the charts (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal American English

    something that is even better or more intense than a ten on a scale of one to ten.

    an informal reference to a level of intensity or quality that exceeds the standard maximum on a scale of one to ten.

    Example

    The energy at the concert was an eleven from the very first song.

    Example

    The marketing department decided to turn the hype up to eleven for the product launch, saturating every social media platform with advertisements.

    Usage

    often used in the phrase 'turn it up to eleven'
Origin

From Middle English elleven, enleven, eleven, from Old English endleofan; from Proto-Germanic ainalif (“one left”) (i.e., one left over after having already counted to ten), a compound of ainaz and -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp- (“leave, remain”). Compare West Frisian alve, Low German ölven, Dutch elf, German elf, Icelandic ellefu, Danish and Norwegian elleve.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026