Eightteen vs. Eighteen: Which is Correct?

"Eightteen" is the incorrect spelling of "eighteen."
"Eighteen" is the natural number following seventeen and preceding nineteen.

For example...

❌ She celebrated her milestone birthday, turning eightteen and officially becoming an adult in the eyes of the law.

✅ She celebrated her milestone birthday, turning eighteen and officially becoming an adult in the eyes of the law.

In the sentence, "eighteen" refers to the specific age at which she celebrated her birthday, marking a significant milestone as she officially transitioned into adulthood according to legal standards.

Eighteen

Parts of speech: adjective and noun

Adjective

Representing the number two more than sixteen.
Examples: He had eighteen years of experience under his belt. The recipe called for eighteen eggs.

Noun

The integer one more than seventeen.
Examples: She reached the age of eighteen on Wednesday. There were eighteen players on the field.

Additional Notes:

The symbol for eighteen is 18 or XVIII.
In Roman numerals, eighteen is written as XVIII.

Etymology
Middle English "attene," from Old English "ēahta and tyn" (eight and ten).

Eightteen vs. Eighteen: Which is Correct?

Examining the graph below, we can see that the correct spelling of "eighteen" is used more extensively than "eightteen." The word "eighteen" also experienced its peak use in the 1880s, but since then, its use has decreased.

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How do we pronounce eighteen?

In American English, "eighteen" is pronounced ay·teen.

In British English, "eighteen" is pronounced ay·teen.

Additional notes:
These are just the standard pronunciations, and there may be slight variations depending on regional accents and individual speech patterns.

Check out our other related blogposts:

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Why does the misspelling of eighteen as eightteen occur?

Phonetic Similarity:

The most common reason is the similarity in sound between the first syllables of "eighteen" and "eight." When spoken quickly or carelessly, the "eigh" sound can easily be misheard or misunderstood as "eight."

Typos and Autocorrect:

Simple typos, like accidentally hitting the "t" key again, which can easily result in "eightteen." Additionally, some autocorrect features might incorrectly suggest "eightteen" as a valid alternative, potentially confusing users.

Other misspellings of eighteen

Below are other common misspellings of "eighteen" other than "eightteen."

aitteen: Mistaking "eigh" for "ai" sound.
eiteen: Mixing up "i" and "e" sounds.
eighteene: Adding an extra "e" at the end due to the vowel sound before "n."
eigtteen: Confusing "h" with "g" due to their similar shapes in some fonts.
eigtheen: Mistaking "h" for "th" due to their resemblance in cursive writing.
egteen: Omitting the "i" and "h" altogether.
nineteen: Transposing the "n" and "t" due to their proximity on the keyboard.
eighte: Accidentally excluding the "n" at the end.
eighteenen: Doubling the "n" due to its presence in compound numbers like "twentynine."

Example sentences for the misuse of the word eighteen as eightteen

Below are example sentences highlighting that “eightteen” is an incorrect spelling.

The correct spelling of the word is "recommended," not "recomended."
Please note that "recomended" is a misspelling; the accurate term is "recommended."
If you see the term "recomended," it's an error; the proper spelling is "recommended."
There seems to be a typo; the word should be spelled as "recommended," not "recomended."
Just to clarify, the correct way to spell it is "recommended," not with a single 'm' as in "recomended."

Example sentences of eighteen

She graduated from high school at the age of eighteen.
Turning eighteen is a significant milestone in many cultures.
At the age of eighteen, he embarked on a solo backpacking adventure across Europe.
Eighteen students received scholarships for their academic achievements.
In some countries, individuals gain the right to vote at the age of eighteen.
The legal drinking age in many places is set at eighteen.
At eighteen, she decided to pursue her passion for art and enrolled in an art school.
The novel explores the challenges and adventures of a group of eighteen-year-olds.
The film is rated for audiences aged eighteen and older due to its mature content.
They signed a lease on their first apartment when they were both eighteen.

Synonyms of eighteen

Numerals:

18 (cardinal): Simply representing the number 18, without referring to age or quantity.
XVIII (Roman numeral): The official Roman numeral representation of 18.
Octonary, octadeca, octado (formal, archaic): Rarely used synonyms for "eighteen" emphasizing its mathematical roots.

Age:

Coming-of-age, legal age, adulthood: Referencing the legal transition to adulthood at 18.
Teenager, youth: Focusing on the period of life between 13 and 19, including 18.
Majority, legal drinking age: Highlighting specific legal rights granted at 18.

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