teruncius

English

Etymology

Latin teruncius

Noun

teruncius (plural teruncii)

  1. (historical) An ancient Roman coin worth one quarter of an as.

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Substantivisation of the otherwise-unattested adjective *teruncius (“of three twelfths”) in elliptical use for the phrase nummus teruncius (“a three-twelfths coin”), the adjective deriving from ter (“thrice”) +‎ uncia (“a twelth”) +‎ -us (suffix forming adjectives).

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /teˈrun.ki.us/, [tɛˈrʊŋ.ki.ʊs]

Noun

teruncius m (genitive terunciī or teruncī); second declension

  1. a bronze coin valued at three unciae or one-quarter of an as, a “farthing”
    1. (transferred sense) something of negligible value, a trifle
  2. (of inheritances, in the phrase ex terunciō) a fourth part, a quarter

Declension

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative teruncius terunciī
genitive terunciī
teruncī1		 terunciōrum
dative terunciō terunciīs
accusative teruncium terunciōs
ablative terunciō terunciīs
vocative teruncī terunciī

1Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

Synonyms

Derived terms

  • terunciolus (New Latin)

References

Further reading

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