twelfth

American  

[twelfth] / twɛlfθ /

adjective

1. next after the eleventh; being the ordinal number for 12.

2. being one of 12 equal parts.

---

noun

twelfths plural

1. a twelfth part, especially of one (1/12).

2. the twelfth member of a series.

twelfth British  

/ twɛlfθ /

adjective

1. (usually prenominal)

   1. coming after the eleventh in number or counting order, position, time, etc; being the ordinal number of twelve: often written 12th

   2. ( as noun )

      the twelfth of the month

---

noun

1. 1. one of 12 equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, measurement, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a twelfth part

2. the fraction equal to one divided by 12 ( 1/ 12 )

3. music

   1. an interval of one octave plus a fifth

   2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other

   3. an organ stop sounding a note one octave and a fifth higher than that normally produced by the key depressed

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• twelfths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of twelfth

before 900; Middle English twelfthe, twelfte, Old English twelfta, equivalent to twelf twelve + -ta -th ²

Example Sentences

"Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on the twelfth flight test of Starship!" the company wrote on X.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

The Patriots, who already boasted the most Super Bowl appearances with 11, will now have their twelfth showing on American football's biggest stage, and a chance to vie for a record seventh Lombardi trophy.

From Barron's • Jan. 25, 2026

But in its twelfth season, the new “Vanderpump” is standing still instead of moving forward.

From Salon • Dec. 2, 2025

The maqāma genre emerged in the late tenth century and became especially popular from the twelfth century onward.

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

Although the oldest Jackson had to be in the eleventh or twelfth grade.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia