Twelve is the number that comes after eleven and before thirteen. It's written as 12 in numerals and represents a dozen of something: twelve eggs in a carton, twelve months in a year, twelve hours on a clock face.

The number twelve appears constantly in how we measure and organize time. A year has twelve months, from January through December. Clocks divide each day into two sets of twelve hours, which is why we say “3 o'clock” twice each day: once in the afternoon and once in the middle of the night. This twelve-hour system goes back thousands of years to ancient Babylon and Egypt.

Twelve is also important in how we buy and sell things. A dozen means twelve items, whether you're buying donuts or pencils. Wholesale suppliers often package things in dozens because twelve divides evenly in so many ways: by 2, 3, 4, and 6. This makes it easy to split a dozen cookies among friends or arrange them neatly in a box.

In some cultures and stories, twelve holds special meaning. King Arthur had twelve knights at his Round Table. Ancient Greece had twelve major gods on Mount Olympus. Juries in American courts traditionally have twelve members who decide verdicts together. Whether you're checking the time, counting months, or sharing a box of donuts, twelve organizes much of daily life.