two
Noun pluraltwos
Often confused with to and too
Pluraltwos
- 1The number equal to one plus one, or a quantity of exactly that many people or things.
The committee interviewed two candidates for the position.
Two ships collided in the harbor overnight.
UsageSounds the same as to and too: two cats, go to school, me too.
- 2The digit or figure 2 as a written or printed character.
His handwritten twos are easy to mistake for sevens.
The license plate ends in a two.
UsagePlural twos, without an apostrophe.
- 3The hour of two o'clock, whether a.m. or p.m.
Her flight lands at two on Saturday afternoon.
He finally fell asleep around two and slept straight through his alarm.
Less common meanings
- 4A playing card featuring two pips; the rank-2 card of a suit.
He split a pair of twos at the blackjack table.
The two of spades was the last card she needed for the run.
UsageUsually the two of + suit: the two of spades.
Similardeuce
Note
At the card table this rank has a second name, deuce, which players often use instead.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
- A playing card of rank two is also called a deuce. en.wiktionary.org
- 5A child who is two years of age.
As an older two, she was ready to move up to the threes room.
The preschool groups its twos and threes in the same classroom.
UsageMostly in childcare talk: the twos, a group for twos and threes.
Note
The twos are an age group, and they are often paired with the next one up, as in a playgroup for twos and threes.
- 6A United States banknote in the two-dollar denomination.
He tips with twos because people always remember them.
She found a crisp two tucked inside the old birthday card.
UsageIn formal writing, or for readers abroad, say two-dollar bill.
Note
In conversation the bill shrinks to its number, so a two is the note itself.
- 7Ellipsis of two shot: a camera shot that frames two people together.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Middle English "two", from Old English "twā", from Proto-Germanic "*twai", from Proto-Indo-European "*dwóh₁". It is related to German "zwei", Dutch "twee", Latin "duō", and Ancient Greek "dúo", and is a doublet of "duo".
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 9 facts
- English two descends from Middle English two. en.wiktionary.org
- Middle English two descends from Old English twā. en.wiktionary.org
- Old English twā ultimately descends from Proto-Germanic *twai. en.wiktionary.org
- Proto-Germanic *twai descends from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. en.wiktionary.org
- Two is cognate with German zwei. en.wiktionary.org
- Two is cognate with Dutch twee. en.wiktionary.org
- Two is cognate with Latin duō. en.wiktionary.org
- Two is cognate with Ancient Greek dúo. en.wiktionary.org
- Two and duo are etymological doublets. en.wiktionary.org