Latin number prefixes 1-10

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In this page, I talk about a curious set of unusual words: adjectives and nouns because that numerical worths or multiples. What carry out you contact a group of eleven musicians? An strong competition with 6 events? an occasion that recurs every twenty years? It can be very complicated to figure out what kind of prefix to use, and also there are plenty of exceptions to the rules. Due to the fact that many of these words aren"t uncovered in dictionary (particularly together the appropriate numbers obtain larger), having some general principles can help. Thus, where various other word list of the benidormclubdeportivo.org room simply detailed in "word: definition" form, this page will try to present you, in tabular format, just how to construct your very own terms native the simple principles, and also to provide you a much better grasp that this tricky topic. Let"s begin!

In general, this words room made by combining a prefix acquired from Latin or Greek number words and also a suffix denote the form or classification of the thing being counted. If you understand a many word etymologies, you can usually figure out even if it is a native takes a Latin or Greek number prefix if you can tell even if it is the suffix you want to use is Latin or Greek in origin. However, if friend can"t job-related out the etymology, it"s probably finest to just look at the list below, which show which prefixes are used with which suffixes. Besides, there space exceptions come this general rule.

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Latin prefixes (uni, bi, tri ...) are typically used because that the complying with categories.
mathematical bases "-al"adjectives of relationship "-nary"groups of musicians "-tet"words for multiples of other "-uple"number of years between two occasions "-ennial"number of sides of miscellaneous "-lateral"words for large numbers / index number "-illion"less common categories: variety of leaflets or petals top top a sheet or flower "-foliate", chemical valencies "-valent"; division into parts "-partite" or "-fid".

In this first table, I"ve listed the Latin words for 1 with 12 together with the appropriate prefix the is obtained from it. For each of the over categories, check the suitable column and also find the word list. In instances where words couldn"t be found in constant dictionaries, I"ve extrapolation from the other words and also used suitable prefixes and also endings to build the exactly form. In such theoretical cases, words is marked with an asterisk and put the in italics.

Table 1: Latin-Prefixed number WordsNumeralPrefixBaseRelationMusicMultipleYearlySidesExponent1unusuniN/Aunary(solo)(single)(annual)unilateral(million)2duobi/duobinalbinaryduetduple/doublebiennialbilateralbillion3tres, triatritrial, tertialtrinary, ternarytriotriple/trebletriennialtrilateraltrillion4quattuorquadri/quartquartalquaternaryquartetquadruplequadriennialquadrilateralquadrillion5quinquequinque/quintquintalquinary,quinquenaryquintetquintuplequinquennialquinquelateralquintillion6sexsex(t), sesextalsenary/sexenarysextetsextuplesexennial*sexilateralsextillion7septemseptseptimalseptenaryseptetseptupleseptennialseptilateralseptillion8octooctoctal, octavaloctonaryoctetoctupleoctennialoctilateraloctillion9novemnonus/novemnonalnonarynonetnonuple,noncuplenovennial*nonilateralnonillion10decemdec(a), dedecimaldenarydectetdecupledecennial*decilateraldecillion11undecimundec, undeundecimalundenary*undectet*undecupleundecennial*undecilateralundecillion12duodecimduodec, duodeduodecimalduodenary*duodectetduodecupleduodecennial*duodecilateralduodecillion

So far, therefore good. We deserve to see the there room a couple of exceptions to the general rule, particularly for the number 1 and 2, and also in some situations such as "quinary / quinquenary" wherein multiple forms exist. Due to the fact that I"m no being hardline around "proper" forms, I"m consisting of all the creates normally used, also when they don"t strictly follow the rules. As much as 12, the Latin prefixes hold up nice well; many of the forms exist; only "sexilateral", of all the hypotheticals, is less than nine. My theory is that it sounds also lewd to have actually been embraced as the term for something with 6 sides. Well enough, then.

number of angles of plane figures "-gon"number of faces of solid numbers "-hedron"number of angles in a form or heat "-angle"number the rulers in a federal government "-archy"number of meter in a poetic verse"-meter"number of objects in a group "-ad"number of events in an strong competition "-athlon"less usual categories: numbers of valuation in indigenous "-syllabic"; to adjust of publications or various other works "-logy"; number of fingers "-dactylic"; number of languages talked "-glot"; variety of parts "-merous"; variety of columns "-style"; lot of carbon in many chemical molecule "-ane", "-ene", "-yne".
And now, Table 2 shows us the Greek character words and prefixes in conjunction with the ideal suffixes for the above categories.
Table 2: Greek-Prefixed numerical WordsNumeralPrefixPolygonPolyhedronAngleRulerMeterGroupEvent1enmonoN/AN/AN/AmonarchN/AmonadN/A2dyo/duo/didi/dyN/AN/AN/Adiarch, dyarchdimeterdyadbiathlon3treis, triatritriangleN/Atriangletriarchtrimetertriadtriathlon4tesseratetratetragontetrahedronquadrangletetrarchtetrametertetradtetrathlon5pentepentapentagonpentahedronpentanglepentarchpentameterpentadpentathlon6hexahexhexagonhexahedronhexanglehexarchhexameterhexad*hexathlon7heptaheptheptagonheptahedronheptangleheptarchheptameterheptadheptathlon8oktooctoctagonoctohedronoctangleoctarchoctameteroctad*octathlon9enneaenneaenneagon,nonagonenneahedron*enneangle*ennearch*enneameterennead*enneathlon10dekadec(a)decagondecahedrondecangledecarchdecameterdecad(e)decathlon11hendekahendec(a)hendecagon,undecagonhendecahedron*hendecanglehendecarch*hendecameter*hendecad*hendecathlon12dodekadodec(a)dodecagondodecahedron*dodecangledodecarch*dodecameterdodecad(e)*dodecathlon

The case with the Greek terms is a tiny more complex than v the Latin, yet not excessively so. Latin prefixes are provided for some words for polygons, although the Greek prefix is to be preferred. "Biathlon" should, by every rights, be "diathlon", "triangle" is used for a airplane figure and also angles (instead the "triagon"), and also there space very couple of terms for 1 and 2. The course, this is partly due to the fact that there"s no such thing as a two-faced polyhedron, and not much point in explicate a single athletic occasion as a "monathlon" ...

So far, we"ve grounding to the numbers 1 through 12. We have pretty hard sequences that words, back the words relating to 9 and also 11 are, to be fair, incredibly rare. Yet moving to the teens, decades, 100 and 1000, the words come to be much an ext sparse. Still, given the ideal adjectives and a little creativity, we can construct many hypothetical indigenous that have to be understandable. Table 3 list the higher Latin numbers and prefixes. I"ll stick to listing the number bases and adjectives that relation, and let you figure out the rest on your own, ~ above the pattern explained above. Many of the various other terms aren"t uncovered in dictionaries (how often do you need to describe something the recurs every 60 years?), with the exception of those because that 20, where terms prefer vicennial and vigintillion are periodically used. Come wit:

Table 3: Latin numerical Words: 13 come 1000NumeralPrefixBaseRelation13tredecimtredec, tridec*tridecimal*tridenary14quattuordecimquatuordec*quatuordecimal*quatuordenary15quindecimquinde(c)*quindecimalquindenary16sedecimsede(c)hexadecimal*sedenary17septendecimseptende(c)septendecimal*septendenary18duodevigintidecennoct*decennoctal*decenoctonary19undevigintidecennovdecennoval*decennonary20vigintivige, vicevigesimal, vicesimalvigenary, vicenary30trigintatrige, tricetrigesimaltricenary40quadragintaquadragequadragesimalquadragenary50quinquagintaquinquagequinquagesimalquinquagenary60sexagintasexagesexagesimalsexagenary70septuagintaseptuageseptuagesimalseptuagenary80octogintaoctageoctagesimaloctogenary90nonagintanonagenonagesimalnonagenary100centumcentecentesimalcentenary1000millemillemillesimalmillenary

Now, things gain complicated. Because that the teens, things space made complex by the fact that instead of "duodeviginti" (literally "two-from-twenty") and also "undeviginti" ("one-from-twenty") for 18 and also 19, the prefixes for them are "decennoct" (ten-eight) and also "decennov" (ten-nine). And, what"s this? Hexadecimal, not "sexadecimal"? "Hex-" is Greek, i beg your pardon goes against the rule set for every the various other bases. Ns suspect, again, the prudishness has led to "hexadecimal" acquiring the nod end "sexadecimal". Actually, other than "hexadecimal", every these words for 13 with 19 are exceptionally rare come non-existent, for this reason it might be best to just forget around them. Moving on come the decades, many of this are likewise quite rare. However, numerous nouns exist, acquired from the ideal adjectives that relation, which recognize a human being of a details age; "octogenary" i do not care "octogenarian" - someone in their eighties.

For the higher Greek numbers, there"s virtually no evidence in English for the usage of these words, but mathematicians sometimes need words because that polygons and solid figures, so right here are the ideal prefixes and also words because that 13-20, 100 and 1000.

Table 4: Greek number Words: 13 to 1000NumeralPrefixPolygonPolyhedron13tr(e)iskaidekatriskaideca, tridecatriskaidecagon, trisdecagontriskaidecahedron14tettares kai dekatetrakaideca, tetradecatetradecagon, tetrakaidecagontetrakaidecahedron15pentekaidekapendecapendecagonpendecahedron16hekkaidekahexadeca*hexadecagon*hexadecahedron17heptakaidekaheptadecaheptadecagon*heptadecahedron18oktokaidekaoctodeca*octodecagon*octodecahedron19enneakaidekaenneadeca*enneadecagon*enneadecahedron20eikosiicos(a)icosagonicosahedron100hekatonhecato*hecatogonhecatohedron1000chilioichiliachiliagonchiliahedron

The ancient Greek teens all contain the associate kai "and", however except for 13 and 14, the prefixes offered in English typically omit it. All of the native in Table 4 are very rare (if they are uncovered at all), other than for icosahedron. Keep in mind that in modern-day Greek, the numerals for the teenagers are various than the ancient forms, reversing triskaideka come dekatreis, tettares kai deka to dekatettares, and also so on.

Curiosities

Now the I"ve outlined few of the straightforward features and also rules to allow you to build your very own numerical words on the communication of those outlined here, I"ve compiled a triskaidecad of unexplained facts and also trivia relating to this an extremely interesting topic.

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The five perfectly continuous solid numbers are the tetrahedron, hexahedron, octohedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron (4, 6, 8, 12 and 20 sides, respectively). This five, in addition to the decahedron (10 sides), space the shapes of the dice most generally used in role-playing games. However, the triacontahedron (30-sided die) is occasionally used, and also I"ve additionally seen a heptahedron (7-sided die). There"s even a 100-sided die, or hecatohedron, though it goes by the trademarked surname of Zocchihedron after ~ its inventor. It has so many sides that it"s basically a sphere, which means that it has the annoying tendency to role off flat surfaces.The term decennoval (of or pertaining come 19), though currently quite obsolete, was, of every the "teen" words, rather an ext common in previously times. The factor for this is that, when calculating the day of Easter (a important and also controversial job of middle ages clergy), one provides the Metonic bicycle - the reality that the moon"s phases will recur ~ above the exact same days every 19 years.English has actually two entirely distinctive words to refer to the id of some Christians that the Apocalypse will certainly come at or approximately the millennium (an important thing to store in mind in ~ this allude in history). The very first is millenarian, obtained from the Latin millenarius (of a thousand), and closely related to millenary shown in Table 3. The second is chiliastic, taken indigenous the Greek word for 1000, as explained in Table 4. Regardless of their differing etymologies, millenarian and chiliastic are essentially synonymous. Because that an unusual poem I"ve composed on the topic, examine out this page.You may have actually noticed a resemblance between the word duodenary (relating come twelve) and the duodenum (a section of the tiny intestine). This is no a coincidence; the duodenum was originally known as the intestinum duodenum digitorum "intestine that twelve fingers", due to the fact that it was viewed to be about twelve fingersbreadth in size by the medieval anatomists who named it in the 14th century if mucking roughly with corpses.It is curious that, although native exist for world in their forties (quadragenarian) v one hundreds (centenarian), we have to construct words for those in your twenties and thirties (vicenarian and tricenarian, respectively). This pattern is quite the opposite 보다 that for many of these collection of words, whereby there are words because that lower however not for greater numbers. Probably, this is because these terms are words that respect, and also it"s no great feat to with 20 or 30. A rapid look on find engines will show that quadragenarian is the rarest of these terms, v word frequency boosting up come octogenarian, then decreasing thereafter. This most likely reflects the increased esteem accorded to those as much as their eighties, but then, life expectancies gift what they are, a to decrease in frequency for nonagenarian and also centenarian because few people with such good ages.The largest musical group I could find come which a "-tet" surname is assigned is a "brass duodectet" arrangement of Gabrieli"s Canzon Noni Toni in Twelve Voices. Since this is the only ar where the word"s ever before been used (to my knowledge), it hasn"t presented up in any dictionaries yet. Incidentally, the smallest number of players required for a jazz tape to "officially" qualify together a "big band" is 10, or a dectet. However, i don"t think there is a office of huge Band Nomenclature to clamp down on hurt of this dominance ...In enhancement to "centennial" and "millennial", normally used because that the 100th and also 1000th anniversaries of events, one may add the collection of Latin prefixes because that 2 v 9 above to one of two people word to suggest 200th with 900th (or, an ext rarely, 2000th through 9000th) anniversaries. Yet some human being can"t wait 100 year to celebrate. In north America in the so late 19th century, when plenty of cities, churches, etc., were over 100 years old however not yet 200, the term sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) was coined (from Latin sesqui-, the the ratio of 3 come 2). Also fifty years to be too long for the town of Delavan, Tazewell County, Illinois, whose leaders consulted Funk and also Wagnall"s in 1962 because that a word because that a 125th anniversary, and also were told that quasquicentennial, an irregular development from Latin quadrans, one-quarter, can do, yet that the wouldn"t gain into the dictionary until that became an ext regular. It"s currently in the Oxford English Dictionary, and also has been used quite a few times since, mostly in the American Midwest.Many Christian church celebrate a collection of yearly events: Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima and Quadragesima, on the succeeding Sundays approximately 70, 60, 50 and also 40 days prior to Easter, respectively. Quadragesima point out the beginning of Lent, which lasts forty days.Much that English poetic literary works prior come the modern era was composed in iambic pentameter, in which every line that verse contains five set of "short-long" syllables. Friend will have actually no doubt encountered iambic pentameter, because both Chaucer"s Canterbury Tales and most of Shakespeare"s calculation is created in this meter.While we typically think the English numbers as purely decimal (and this is definitely true of our positional digital numbers), in reality the situation is an ext complex. For most people, the collection (thousand, million, billion, trillion ...) proceeds in multiples of 1000; that is, there are special words because that exponents of 1000 simply as there room for index number of 10 (ten, hundred, thousand), yet not because that 10000 or 100000. Thus, we might properly say that our numerals have both a decimal and also a millesimal (or possibly millenary) base. The case is more complex because, traditionally, the British to speak "milliard" because that 109 whereby Americans speak "billion", "billion" because that 1012 where Americans say "trillion", and also "trillion" because that 1018 wherein Americans speak "quintillion". This mechanism is decimal, millesimal (because there space special words for 1000 and also 1,000,000) and millimillesimal (if I can coin a word for a basic of 1,000,000). Fortunately, the british seem come be moving towards the usage preferred in many of the rest of the world. I say "fortunately", not due to the fact that I have any good love that American influence, but since in this case, the simplifies the system greatly.If anyone cares, "centesimal" is an anagram of "lemniscate", a mathematical term referring to the locus of the foot of the perpendicular from the center of a conic top top the tangent. If you understand what the means, you may be impressed the it has actually a numerical anagram.One of the many peculiar character words in English is "zenzizenzizenzic", which method "the eighth power of a number", as in "The zenzizenzizenzic the 2 is 256". The was supplied only once in English, in Robert Recorde"s The Whetstone of Wit (1557). It is obtained from an equally-obsolete "zenzic", which referred to the square the a number. That is the just English indigenous with six Zs, and also is thus, if I may be allowed to coin a term, hexazetic.I would certainly be remiss if ns didn"t point out one of the most common phobias in the western world, triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13. It"s additionally spelled "triskaidecaphobia", showing the tendency in Greek number prefixes to change the letter k to c.

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