-teen

numerical suffix

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The suffix "-teen" is used in English to form numbers from thirteen to nineteen. These numbers represent the years from 13 to 19 in a lifetime or century. The term "teen" itself can refer to a person in this age group, commonly known as a teenager. The word "teenage" describes things related to or intended for teenagers. Historically, "teen" also had an archaic meaning of misery or affliction.12345678

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numerals and numeral systems
Number bases
…meaning “two left”; the endings -teen and -ty both refer to ten, and hundred comes originally from a pre-Greek term meaning “ten times [ten].”
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…meaning “two left”; the endings -teen and -ty both refer to ten, and hundred comes originally from a pre-Greek term meaning “ten times [ten].”
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