Definitions
01the number 7
A1 · Beginner
num. the number 7.
num. the cardinal number between six and eight.
Español:siete
“There are seven days in a week, starting with Monday.”
“The team consists of seven specialists, each responsible for a different stage of the manufacturing process.”
02the figure or digit
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the written symbol 7.
n. the graphic symbol or digit representing the number seven.
“The lucky number on his jersey was a large red seven.”
“The accountant noted that the handwritten seven looked remarkably like a one, leading to a significant error in the final tally.”
03playing cards
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a playing card with seven symbols on it.
n. a playing card in a standard deck bearing seven pips.
“He needed a seven of hearts to win the card game.”
“She discarded a seven, hoping her opponent wasn't collecting that particular rank for a sequence.”
04soft drink
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Informal · Slang
n. a short name for the lemon-lime soda 7 Up.
n. a colloquial shortening for the carbonated soft drink brand 7 Up.
“I'll have a burger and a large seven with no ice, please.”
“The waiter returned with a seven, though the customer had technically asked for a generic lemon-lime soda.”
Teaching tip
This usage is highly informal and specific to certain regions; most speakers will simply say the full brand name.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “seven” in context.
Real-World Examples
“A North Yorkshire farmer said it was "amazing" after a sheep gave birth to seven healthy lambs - just one shy of a world record.” Etymology
PIE word *septḿ̥ From Middle English seven, from Old English seofon (“seven”), from Proto-West Germanic sebun (“seven”), from Proto-Germanic sebun (“seven”), from Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥ (“seven”). Cognate with Scots seiven (“seven”), West Frisian sân (“seven”), Saterland Frisian soogen (“seven”), Low German söven (“seven”), Dutch zeven (“seven”), German sieben (“seven”), Danish syv (“seven”), Norwegian sju (“seven”), Icelandic sjö (“seven”), Latin septem (“seven”), Ancient Greek ἑπτά (heptá, “seven”), Russian семь (semʹ), Sanskrit सप्त (saptá).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
The word in film
Seven · 1995 · Crime
- Directed by:
- David Fincher
- Starring:
- Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman
David Fincher directed this dark crime thriller about two detectives hunting a serial killer who uses the number of deadly sins to plan his murders. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman star in this 1990s film where each crime scene represents one of these specific categories.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/seven
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0