Where does “fifteen” come from?

Fifteen derives from Middle English fiftene, Old English fīftīene, and Proto-Germanic fimftehun, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pénkʷe meaning five.

fifteen (English): The cardinal number occurring after fourteen and...

Definitions

  1. The cardinal number occurring after fourteen and...

Ancestry of “fifteen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfiftenefifteen
2Old Englishfīftīenefifteen
3Proto-Germanicfimftehunfifteen
4Proto-Germanictehunten
5Proto-Indo-Europeandéḱm̥tten

Words derived from “fifteen

Every word from Proto-Indo-European déḱm̥tEvery word from Proto-Germanic tehunEvery word from Proto-Germanic fimftehun