11 o'clock number

noun

A showstopping song that occurs late in the second act of a two-act musical, often signifying a moment of revelation or change of heart of a lead character.

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Meanings

noun11 o'clock number (plural 11 o'clock numbers)

plural 11 o'clock numbers

  1. entertainmentA showstopping song that occurs late in the second act of a two-act musical, often signifying a moment of revelation or change of heart of a lead character.

Origin

So called because, in the days when musical performances began at 8:30 p.m., such a song would occur around 11 p.m.

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Cite this entry
APA

11 o'clock number. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/11%20o'clock%20number

MLA

“11 o'clock number.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/11%20o'clock%20number. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “11 o'clock number,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/11%20o'clock%20number.

Source: 11 o'clock number on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.