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number A1 Beginner Very common

ten

tehn

Ten (number) means the number after nine and before eleven, written as 10. Example: “She counted to ten before opening her eyes.”

number
1
The number after nine and before eleven, written as 10.
"She counted to ten before opening her eyes."
"There were ten people waiting outside the shop."
noun
1
Informally, a person or thing considered flawless or perfect, especially in looks.
"Everyone agreed the routine was a ten."

How to use ten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe number 10, or informally, something rated as perfect.

Common pairings
a perfect ten top ten count to ten

Word forms

tens plural

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She counted to _____ before opening her eyes.

Etymology

From Old English tien, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dekm, the ancient root behind "ten" in many related languages.

Origin: Old English

10 X decade tenner ten-spot

Related words

Rhymes for ten

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Frequently asked questions

What does “ten” mean?

The word “ten” means the number after nine and before eleven, written as 10. In plain terms, the number 10, or informally, something rated as perfect.

How do you pronounce “ten”?

“Ten” is pronounced tehn (/tɛn/ in IPA).

How do you use “ten” in a sentence?

Here is “ten” used in a sentence: “She counted to ten before opening her eyes.”

What part of speech is “ten”?

Depending on how it is used, “ten” can be a number and a noun.

Where does the word “ten” come from?

The word “ten” comes from Old English. From Old English tien, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dekm, the ancient root behind "ten" in many related languages.

Is “ten” a common word?

“Ten” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “ten” have?

“Ten” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the number after nine and before eleven, written as 10.

What is ten in Roman numerals?

Ten is written as X in Roman numerals. It is a key building block of the system, since X can be combined with other symbols, as in XI for eleven, IX for nine, and XX for twenty. The letter X standing for ten dates back to ancient Rome.

Is ten an even number?

Yes. Ten divides exactly by two to give five, with nothing left over, so it is an even number. It is also the base of the decimal system we count in, which is why numbers roll over into a new column every time they reach ten.

What comes after ten?

Eleven comes immediately after ten, and nine comes just before it. Ten is the first two-digit whole number, written as 10, and it marks the point where counting moves from single digits into the tens column.

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