douziième

The term *douzième* is a French numerical adjective derived from the Latin *duodecim*, meaning twelve. It is used to describe the twelfth position in a sequence, such as in ordinal numbers or rankings. In French, *douzième* is pronounced approximately as "doo-zheh" or "dweh-zheh," depending on the dialect, and it retains its Latin roots in its structure.

In everyday language, *douzième* commonly appears in ordinal contexts, such as "le douzième jour" (the twelfth day), "la douzième heure" (the twelfth hour), or "le douzième tour" (the twelfth round). It is also used in sports, media, and competitive events to denote a specific place or stage, like the twelfth place in a race or the twelfth episode of a series.

Beyond its ordinal use, *douzième* can function as a noun in certain contexts, particularly in French slang or informal speech, where it may refer to a person or thing in the twelfth position, though this usage is less common. The adjective is also used in compound terms, such as *douzième siècle* (the twelfth century) or *douzième arrondissement* (the twelfth arrondissement of Paris).

Cognates of *douzième* exist in other Romance languages, though their forms vary slightly. For example, in Spanish, the equivalent is *duodécimo*, in Italian *dodicesimo*, and in Portuguese *duodécimo*. These words share the same etymological origin and maintain similar meanings across the languages.

In mathematics and measurement, *douzième* is sometimes used to describe fractions, such as *un douzième* (one twelfth), which is a basic unit in divisions of twelve equal parts. This usage is particularly relevant in fields like cooking, where precise measurements are essential.