septem

Alternative forms

• Symbol: VII

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥. Cognates include Sanskrit सप्तन् (saptán), Ancient Greek ἑπτά (heptá), Old English seofon (English seven) and Old Church Slavonic седмь (sedmĭ).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈsep.tem/, [ˈsɛp.tẽ]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈsep.tem/

• Audio (Classical)

  (file)

Numeral

septem (indeclinable)

1. (cardinal) seven; 7
   • 8 CE, Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.188–190

     at Nileus, qui se genitum septemplice Nilo ementitus erat, clipeo quoque flumina septem argento partim, partim caelaverat auro

     But Nileus, who falsely claimed he was born of the seven-fold Nile, had upon [his] shield the seven streams, part in silver and part engraved in gold

   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Genesis.29.18

     quam diligens Iacob ait serviam tibi pro Rahel filia tua minore septem annis

     And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

References

• septem in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• septem in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• septem in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • Solon, one of the seven sages: Solo, unus de septem (illis)