þreoten

þreoten is an Old English word meaning "thirteen". It is a cardinal number, representing the quantity immediately following twelve. The word is derived from the Proto-Germanic word *þlūtis, which also means "thirteen". The etymological roots of "þreoten" can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root *treyes, meaning "three", and the suffix *-decom, meaning "ten". This indicates a compound structure where "three" and "ten" are combined to form the number thirteen.

In Old English literature, "þreoten" appears in various contexts, often referring to literal counts of objects or individuals. For instance, it might be used to describe thirteen ships, thirteen warriors, or thirteen days. The number thirteen itself has carried symbolic weight in various cultures throughout history, sometimes associated with luck or misfortune, though the Old English usage of "þreoten" is primarily literal and descriptive. The word's form and meaning are consistent with other numeral words in the Old English language, following established patterns of Germanic number formation. Modern English retains "thirteen" as the direct descendant of this Old English term.