Definition of the word eleven

The origin of the word "eleven" can be traced back to Old English, where it was spelled as "ellen." The word derived from the Germanic root word "albn," which meant "one remaining" or "remaining one." In old Germanic, when counting, you would say "an" for one, "twā" for two, and then use the word for "one" again, with a suffix indicating "leftover" or "remaining," to indicate the number beyond "two." For instance, "three" would be "tri" (three "ones" remaining) and "four" would be "fōr" (four "ones" remaining), demonstrating that eleven was originally a compound word. Over time, the Old English "ellen" evolved. It became "-elêhan" in Middle English around the 12th century, and eventually was spelled "elyven" in Early Modern English during the 15th century. In the 16th century, the word became "eleven" as we know it today. The original Germanic root "albn" can also be seen in another English word, "alone," which shares the same meaning of "one remaining."