ENGLISH
REFERENCE

eleventh

num.
A2 Elementary US //ˈiɫɛvənθ// UK //ɪlˈɛvənθ// eleventh

num. the number that comes after tenth. You use it to describe the position of something in a list of eleven things.

num. the ordinal number corresponding to the cardinal number eleven. Often functions as a determiner or a noun in sequence-based contexts.


SIMPLE

Today is the eleventh of the month.

CONTEXTUAL

She finished in eleventh place, just missing out on a top-ten medal by a few seconds.

COMPLEX

The eleventh chapter provides a synthesis of the previous arguments, serving as a bridge to the book's final conclusion.

Origin

From Middle English elleventhe, from elleven + -the, equivalent to eleven + -th. This re-formation replaced inherited forms such as ellefte, enlefte, from Old English endlefta, from Proto-Germanic *ainaliftô.

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies; when used as a noun, it often follows the definite article 'the'.

Pitfall

the eleven day of Maythe eleventh day of MayLearners often use the cardinal number 'eleven' instead of the ordinal 'eleventh' when referring to dates or positions.

Idioms1 entry

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