Eleventh

Eleventh is the ordinal form of the number eleven, used to indicate position in a sequence after the tenth and before the twelfth. It appears in dates, lists, rankings, and any context that requires ordering by number.

Etymology and form: In English, ordinals are typically formed by adding the suffix -th to the cardinal form, and eleventh follows this pattern. The word ultimately derives from the same root as eleven, with the ordinal suffix signaling its time in a sequence rather than quantity. Spelling and pronunciation are regular for most speakers, with the standard form being eleventh.

Usage and examples: The term is used to designate the specific item in a series, such as “the eleventh day of the month” or “the eleventh item on the list.” In dates, one might write “the eleventh of March.” In numerals, the number is represented as XI in Roman numerals and 11 in Arabic numerals. The word also appears in idioms, most notably the phrase “the eleventh hour,” which refers to a last-minute effort or opportunity.

In other contexts: Eleven is a prime number and appears in various mathematical and scientific contexts as a base unit in sequences and patterns. In music, the term eleventh can describe an interval (an octave plus a fourth) or an eleventh chord, which extends a triad with upper-register tones.

Related concepts: Eleventh is part of the broader system of ordinal numbers, alongside first through twentieth and beyond, used to specify order rather than quantity.