English Explanatory Dictionary

two

English dictionary entry

Meanings

num
  1. A numerical value equal to 2; this many dots (••).
  2. Describing a set or group with two elements.
noun
  1. The digit/figure 2.
  2. A two-dollar bill.
  3. A child aged two.
  4. A playing card featuring two pips.
  5. Two o'clock, either a.m. or p.m.
  6. Ellipsis of two shot.
name
  1. The station code of Tai Wo in Hong Kong.

Pronunciation

/tu/ [tʰu̟u] to͞o LL-Q1860_(eng)-Back_ache-two.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-to.wav [tʰu̟] en-us-two.ogg

Word forms

two twain twey twos

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English two, twa, from Old English twā, feminine and neuter of twēġen (whence twain), from Proto-West Germanic *twai-, from Proto-Germanic *twai, from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁. Cognates Cognate with Scots twa (“two”); North Frisian tou, tuu (“two”); Saterland Frisian twäin, two (“two”); West Frisian twa (“two”); Dutch twee (“two”); Low German twee, twei (“two”); German zwei, zwo (“two”); Danish and Norwegian to (“two”); Swedish två, tu (“two”); Icelandic tvö (“two”); Faroese tvey (“two”); Latin duō (“two”); Ancient Greek δύο (dúo, “two”); Irish dhá (“two”); Lithuanian dù (“two”); Russian два (dva, “two”); Albanian dy (“two”); Old Armenian երկու (erku, “two”); Sanskrit द्व (dvá, “two”); Tocharian A wu, Tocharian B wi. Doublet of duo. See also twain. Unrelated to resembling words in Austronesian languages, including Malagasy roa; Cebuano and Tagalog dalawa; West Coast Bajau and Minangkabau duo; Buginese ᨉᨘᨓ (dua); Indonesian, Iban, Iranun, Ilocano, Sundanese, and Malay dua; West Coast Bajau and Minangkabau duo; Fijian, Māori, Rapa Nui, and Rotuman rua; Niuean and Tongan ua; Hawaiian, Samoan, and Wallisian lua; South Marquesan 'ua; which all originated from Proto-Austronesian *duSa.

Synonyms

deuce

Related words

Table of cardinal numbers 0 to 9 in various languages 2 2nd both couple double dual pair second twain twi- twice twin two-

Derived words

a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush all-in-two all-in-two diaper all-in-two nappy a thing or two at ten and two Aztec two-step baddy two shoes beast with two backs bent as a two bob better one word in time than two afterwards between two stools big two blues and twos Boettger's two-headed snake caught between two stools couldn't organise a two-ticket raffle cross as two sticks difference of two squares do number two easy as one two three eat for two every stick has two ends fall between two stools feed two birds with one scone fifteen and two for two pins four by two four-by-two game of two halves give two fucks give two hoots give two shits give two squirts give two squirts of piss goodie two-shoes goodie two shoes goody two shoes goody two-shoes goody-two-shoes grade two greater of two evils have two strings to one's bow hippo birdie two ewe hit two birds with one shot hit two targets with one arrow hotter than a two dollar pistol in two in two jumps in two minds in two shakes in two shakes of a cow's tail in two shakes of a dog's tail in two shakes of a duck's tail in two shakes of a lamb's tail in two shakes of a rabbit's ass it takes two to make a quarrel it takes two to quarrel it takes two to tangle it takes two to tango
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