twenty-one

noun

twen·​ty-one ˌtwen-tē-ˈwən How to pronounce twenty-one (audio)
ˌtwən-
1
: a number that is one more than 20 see Table of Numbers
2
[translation of French vingt-et-un] : blackjack sense 1
twenty-one adjective
twenty-one pronoun, plural in construction

Examples of twenty-one in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Donald was twenty-one, terrifyingly tall, and intense. Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 On the second night, the Somalis reached the meeting point with the smuggler, a twenty-one-year-old Romanian man. Elizabeth Flock, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 The exhibitors represent forty-three countries; twenty-one galleries will make their inaugural appearances at the event. News Desk, Artforum, 19 Feb. 2026 Nine hundred and twenty-one of the executives had previously engaged in financial misconduct, such as accounting or tax fraud while serving as an executive. Joseph Brazel, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for twenty-one

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of twenty-one was circa 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Twenty-one.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twenty-one. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.

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