ten
Noun pluraltens
Pluraltens
- 1The number that comes after nine and before eleven, written as 10.
Like the number of fingers on both of your hands.
There are ten apples in the basket.
Count to ten before you answer.
UsageSay a ten-year-old girl, with no s on year.
- 2A rough number in the plural: 'tens of people' is several times ten, and 'tens of thousands' is several times ten thousand.
Tens of thousands of people came downtown for the parade.
We got tens of phone calls about the lost dog.
Note
- 3A group made up of exactly ten things or people.
We counted the pennies and stacked them in tens.
We packed the cookies in tens to give to our neighbors.
UsageSay in tens or into tens.
Note
Less common meanings
- 4A piece of paper money worth ten units, such as ten dollars.
She paid with a ten and told the driver to keep the change.
I only have two tens and a five in my wallet.
Similartenner
- 5Someone or something perfect, as if given the top score out of ten, especially a very good-looking person.
Like getting a perfect score on a test.
Did you see the new lifeguard? He's a total ten.
That chocolate cake was a ten: the best dessert I ever had.
UsageSay someone is a ten. About looks, it can sound rude.
Note
- 6A playing card that shows the number ten.
He drew the ten of clubs from the deck.
You need a ten or a face card to win this round.
Note
- 7In rowing, ten strokes rowed as hard as the team can.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Old English "tīen," going all the way back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root meaning "ten."
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- English ten descends from Old English tīen. en.wiktionary.org
- Its ultimate Proto-Indo-European ancestor meant ten. en.wiktionary.org