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decemvir definition

de·cem·vir (dē sem′vir)

noun pl. decemvirs -·virs or decemviri -·viri′ (-vi rī′)

  1. a member of a council of ten magistrates in ancient Rome: in 451-450 this body drew up the first Roman code of laws
  2. a member of any authoritative group of ten men

Etymology: L, sing. of decemviri < decem, ten + vir, a man: for IE base: see werewolf

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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