ενδέκατος
Lemma: ενδέκατος
Translation: eleventh (adjective)
Etymology: From Ancient Greek ἑνδέκατος (hendékatos), derived from ἕνδεκα (héndeka) meaning 'eleven', which is a compound of ἕν (hén, 'one') and δέκα (déka, 'ten'). The structure mirrors the English formation of 'eleven' from Old English endleofan, literally meaning 'one left' (after counting to ten).
Mnemonics
- Think 'hen-THEK-atos' - imagine a hen counting to ten and then declaring itself the eleventh animal
- Break it down: en (one) + deka (ten) + tos (ordinal ending)
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
Commonly used in sports contexts, particularly in football/soccer when referring to the starting eleven players. Also frequently used in educational contexts when listing items or discussing mathematical concepts.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While ενδέκατος means 'eleventh', δέκατος means 'tenth'. They look similar because they share the root related to 'ten' (δέκα).
Notes: The prefix εν- indicates 'one more than ten'
Mnemonic: ενδέκατος has the extra 'εν' at the start - it's gone one step further than δέκατος