eleven-thirty
UK[ɪˌlɛvn̩ ˈθɜːti]US[ɪˌlɛvn̩ ˈθɜːrti]
n
The time thirty minutes after eleven o'clock, either a.m. or p.m.
Morpheme Breakdown
eleven
thirty
eleven
one left (after ten)
thirty
three tens
Etymology
The compound "eleven-thirty" is a modern English formation following the standard time-telling pattern of combining an hour number with a minutes number. "Eleven" originates from an ancient Germanic expression literally meaning "one left" (after counting to ten), reflecting a base-ten counting system. "Thirty" is a direct descendant of the Old English word for the number three times ten. When combined, these two cardinal number words create a precise temporal reference point, illustrating the logical and additive nature of the English time-telling lexicon.
Analysis
Structure: eleven + thirty
- eleven: From Old English endleofan, meaning "one left (after ten)". Its origin is Germanic, from a Proto-Germanic compound meaning "one left over".
- thirty: From Old English þrītiġ, meaning "three tens". Its origin is Germanic, from a Proto-Germanic compound of the root for "three" and a suffix denoting a multiple of ten.
Examples
The meeting is scheduled for eleven-thirty tomorrow morning.
We usually have lunch around eleven-thirty.
The clock struck eleven-thirty as they finally reached an agreement.