eighteen
A1Neutral (used in all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
The cardinal number 18, equivalent to the sum of seventeen and one.
Used to denote a set, group, or quantity of 18 items; also refers to the age of 18, marking legal adulthood in many jurisdictions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily functions as a noun or determiner (e.g., 'eighteen people'). Also used attributively (e.g., 'an eighteen-year-old').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Pronunciation of the final 'teen' (see IPA). Spelling and core usage are identical. The legal significance of the age may differ slightly in contexts like drinking age.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with the age of majority, legal adulthood, and voting rights.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties with no significant frequency divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
DET + N (eighteen books)BE + eighteenN + OF + eighteen (a group of eighteen)AT + eighteen (at eighteen years old)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sweet eighteen (variation of 'sweet sixteen')”
- “Eighteen-hole course (golf)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in specifications, quantities, and age restrictions for services (e.g., 'Must be eighteen to enter this contract').
Academic
Used in statistical data, historical dating (e.g., 'the eighteen-hundreds'), and referencing quantities.
Everyday
Extremely common for stating age, quantity, and in sports (golf).
Technical
Used in numbering/listing systems (e.g., 'Chapter eighteen').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Not applicable as a standard verb)
American English
- (Not applicable as a standard verb)
adverb
British English
- (Not applicable as a standard adverb)
American English
- (Not applicable as a standard adverb)
adjective
British English
- She is an eighteen-year-old apprentice.
- The committee has eighteen members.
American English
- He bought an eighteen-pack of soda.
- She's in her eighteen-month review period.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am eighteen years old.
- There are eighteen students in my class.
- My sister is eighteen.
- You must be eighteen to vote in the general election.
- The book is divided into eighteen chapters.
- He scored eighteen points in the game.
- The policy applies exclusively to individuals aged eighteen and over.
- The manuscript dates from the early eighteen hundreds.
- A unanimous vote of all eighteen council members was required.
- The statute mandates a minimum sentence of eighteen months for the offence.
- Her research surveyed a cohort of eighteen-year-olds from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
- The amendment passed by a narrow margin of eighteen votes to fifteen.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'EIGHT' followed by 'TEEN'. It's the 'teen' number that starts like the word for 8. Remember: you get the key to adulthood at eight-teen.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMING OF AGE IS A THRESHOLD (e.g., 'She crossed the line into adulthood at eighteen').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation 'восемнадцать' is accurate. No false friends. Trap may be in plural agreement: 'Eighteen people are...' (plural verb) vs Russian syntactic agreement with the numeral.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect stress: pronouncing it as 'EIGHT-teen' (/'eɪt.tiːn/) is less standard. Writing 'eighteen' as two words ('eight teen'). Incorrect verb agreement: 'Eighteen pounds is...' (correct for a sum) vs 'Eighteen students are...'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'eighteen' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'eighteen' is a single word. Hyphens are used when it's part of a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., 'eighteen-page document').
When 'eighteen' refers to a plural number of individuals/items, use a plural verb: 'Eighteen people are waiting.' When it refers to a single sum/quantity, a singular verb is possible: 'Eighteen pounds is a lot to pay.'
In standard British and American English, the stress is on the second syllable: '-teen' /ˈtiːn/. In casual American speech, a secondary stress on the first syllable is also common: /ˈeɪˌtiːn/.
The main confusion is with 'eighty' (80). Remember: 'eighteen' has the word 'teen' in it, linking it to the numbers 13-19. Also, ensure correct spelling: 'ei' not 'ie' (eight, not 'ight').