two

1 of 3

adjective

ˈtü 

1

: being one more than one in number

2

: being the second

—used postpositively

section two of the instructions

two

2 of 3

pronoun

plural in construction

1

: two countable individuals not specified

only two were found

2

: a small approximate number of indicated things

only a shot or two were fired

two

3 of 3

noun

plural twos

1

: a number that is one more than one see Table of Numbers

2

: the second in a set or series

the two of spades

3

: a 2-dollar bill

4

: something having two units or members

Examples of two in a Sentence

Noun

It was two in the morning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

However, in the last couple years, part ones and twos have started to return again, at least until a few weeks ago when Mission: Impossible 8 decided to drop its part two title. —Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023

Turning 3 is a big deal as children transition from that terrible twos toddler stage to talkative preschoolers with wild imaginations and bodies. —Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 24 Oct. 2023

Those earliest snaps between the Dallas twos and Jacksonville ones arguably should carry extra weight in the Cowboys’ overall evaluation, but all film counts toward the 53-man roster and 16-man practice squad’s composition. —Michael Gehlken, Dallas News, 11 Aug. 2023

But toward the end of the ceremony, pioneering DJ Grandmaster Flash hopped on the one and twos for a proper homage to the globally significant genre. —Bethonie Butler, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023

The year’s ending, but the mood feels like a regular day: groups of twos and threes of the students are lost in conversation. —Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2023

This is the tune-up game for Oklahoma State the week after, and Dillingham will get his twos in the mix midway through the second half. —Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 28 Aug. 2023

The stars come in twos and the championships come in bakers’ dozens. —Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2023

Weigel became politicized and then radicalized as an adult, seeing and hearing story after intersex story, no two alike. —Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English twa, two, from Old English twā (feminine & neuter); akin to Old English twēgen two (masculine), tū (neuter), Old High German zwēne, Latin duo, Greek dyo

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing two

• a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• care two hoots
• fall between two stools
• a thing or two
• if/had (two people's) situations been reversed
• kill two birds with one stone
• no two ways about it
• number two
• put/stick two fingers up at someone
• stand on one's own two feet
• one or two
• serve two masters
• twenty-two
• show/teach (someone) a trick or two
• two-bagger
• two-by-four
• two by two
• two cents
• two cents' worth
• two-edged sword
• two-faced
• two-family house/dwelling
• two-phase
• two heads are better than one
• two sides of the same coin
• two's complement
• two-sided
• two's company, three's a crowd
• two-time
• two-toed sloth
• two-tone
• two-way street
• two wrongs don't make a right
• went number two
• in two shakes
• one-two
• put in one's two cents
• in two minds
• two of a kind
• two bits
• in two
• that makes two of us
• two peas in a pod
• two-factor authentication
• two-step
• two-piece
• thirty-two
• two-party
• put two and two together
• two-bit
• two-toned
• two-dimensional
• one-two punch
• two-piecer
• two-winged fly
• two-edged
• two-hander
• two-tailed
• of two minds
• two-suiter
• two-handed
• give two hoots
• two-wheeler
• two-footed
• two-ply
• two-spotted spider mite
• two-piece suit
• two-way mirror
• two-way
• two left feet
• two-fisted
• two-cycle
• two-seater
• two-tail

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• a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
• care two hoots
• fall between two stools
• a thing or two
• if/had (two people's) situations been reversed
• kill two birds with one stone
• no two ways about it
• number two
• put/stick two fingers up at someone
• stand on one's own two feet
• one or two
• serve two masters
• twenty-two
• show/teach (someone) a trick or two
• two-bagger
• two-by-four
• two by two
• two cents
• two cents' worth
• two-edged sword
• two-faced
• two-family house/dwelling
• two-phase
• two heads are better than one
• two sides of the same coin
• two's complement
• two-sided
• two's company, three's a crowd
• two-time
• two-toed sloth
• two-tone
• two-way street
• two wrongs don't make a right
• went number two
• in two shakes
• one-two
• put in one's two cents
• in two minds
• two of a kind
• two bits
• in two
• that makes two of us
• two peas in a pod
• two-factor authentication
• two-step
• two-piece
• thirty-two
• two-party
• put two and two together
• two-bit
• two-toned
• two-dimensional
• one-two punch
• two-piecer
• two-winged fly
• two-edged
• two-hander
• two-tailed
• of two minds
• two-suiter
• two-handed
• give two hoots
• two-wheeler
• two-footed
• two-ply
• two-spotted spider mite
• two-piece suit
• two-way mirror
• two-way
• two left feet
• two-fisted
• two-cycle
• two-seater
• two-tail

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Video

Some Odd Words with ISMO: "The One-derful Won"

Comedian ISMO tries to figure out 'one' and 'two'

Kids Definition

two

noun

ˈtü

plural twos

1

: a number that is one more than one see number

2

: the second in a set or series

two adjective or pronoun