Where does “fourteen” come from?
Fourteen comes from Middle English fourtene, from Old English fēowertīene, from Proto-Germanic fedurtehun, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwṓr meaning four.
fourteen (English): The cardinal number occurring after thirteen and...
Definitions
- The cardinal number occurring after thirteen and...
Ancestry of “fourteen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | fourtene | fourteen |
| 2 | Old English | fēowertīene | fourteen |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | fedurtehun | fourteen |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | fedwōr | four |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷetwóres | four |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷe- | and |