ten

Meaning

Noun

• A set or group with ten elements.
• An inexact quantity, typically understood to be between 20 and 100.
• A card in a given suit with a value of ten.
• A denomination of currency, such as a banknote, with a value of ten units. See also tenner.
• A perfect specimen, a physically attractive person.
• A high level of intensity.
• The act of rowing ten strokes flat out.

Related

Similar words

• Roman numerals: X
• tenner

Origin

• From Middle English ten, tene, from Old English tīen, from Proto-West Germanic *tehun, from Proto-Germanic *tehun, from Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥.
• Cognate with Scots ten, tene, West Frisian tsien ("ten"), Saterland Frisian tjoon ("ten"), North Frisian tiin ("ten"), Dutch tien ("ten"), German zehn ("ten"), Norwegian ti ("ten"), Swedish tio ("ten").
• Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian dhjetë, Old Armenian տասն, Lithuanian dešimt, Old Church Slavonic десѧть, Old Breton dec, Old Irish deich, Ancient Greek δέκα, Sanskrit दश, Old Persian *𐎭𐎰, Latin decem, Tocharian A śäk.
• See also teen.