From Middle English twelve, from Old English twelf ("twelve"), from Proto-Germanic *twalif, an old compound of *twai and *-lif (i.e., two left over after having already counted to ten), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- ("leave, remain"). Cognate with Saterland Frisian tweelf, tweelif, tweelich, West Frisian tolve, Dutch twaalf, German Low German twalf, twalv, German zwölf, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian tolv, Icelandic tólf.
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