twoscore (English)

Where does "twoscore" come from?

The word 'twoscore' is a direct English compound combining 'two' and 'score' to denote the number forty. While 'two' traces back to Proto-Indo-European roots for the number, 'score' originates from an Old Norse word for a notch or incision used for tallying. This term reflects the historical practice of marking a tally stick every time twenty beasts passed through a tollgate, literally representing 'two scores' or two such notched marks.

Full etymology tree

twoscore (English), 'Forty.'
- compound two (English), 'A numerical value equal to 2; this many dots (••).'
  - inherited two (Middle English), 'two'
    - inherited twā (Old English), 'nominative/accusative feminine/neuter of twēġen'
      - inherited *twai- (Proto-West Germanic), 'two'
        inherited *twai (Proto-Germanic), 'two'
        inherited *dwóh₁ (Proto-Indo-European), 'two'
- compound score (English), 'The total number of goals, points, runs, etc. earned by a participant in a game.'
  - inherited score (Middle English), 'score'
    - inherited scoru (Old English), 'notch, mark, tally'
      - inherited *skurō (Proto-Germanic)
        inherited *(s)ker- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to cut off, sever'
    - borrowed skor (Old Norse), 'a score, notch, incision'
      - inherited *skurō (Proto-Germanic)
        inherited *(s)ker- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to cut off, sever'

Direct ancestors

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris