seventeen

noun

sev·​en·​teen ˌse-vən-ˈtēn How to pronounce seventeen (audio)
ˌse-bᵊm-
: a number that is one more than 16 see Table of Numbers
seventeen adjective
seventeen pronoun, plural in construction
seventeenth adjective or noun

Examples of seventeen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The signature aria calls for nine impossibly effortless high Cs, and Pavarotti received a record seventeen curtain calls. Reagan Alexander, PEOPLE.com, 13 June 2019 One day, a nervous kid of about seventeen showed up, carrying a bucket full of cleaning supplies. Adrian Chen, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2014 Unlike other U.S. networks, which would commonly dedicate fifteen-to-seventeen minutes of ad time per hour, AJAM sold just six. Jessica Loudis, New Republic, 20 June 2017 Hayange, where unemployment is seventeen per cent, used to be a bastion of the left, but its political landscape is in flux. Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 8 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seventeen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

seventeen, adjective, from Middle English seventene, from Old English seofontēne; akin to Old English tīen ten

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seventeen was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near seventeen

Cite this Entry

“Seventeen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seventeen. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

seventeen

noun
sev·​en·​teen ˌsev-ən-ˈtēn How to pronounce seventeen (audio)
: a number that is one more than 16 see number
seventeen adjective or pronoun
seventeenth adjective or noun

More from Merriam-Webster on seventeen

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!