Uncial Definition

unzhēəl, unzhəl; unsēəl
adjective
Designating or of a form of large, rounded letter used in the script of Greek and Latin manuscripts between a.d. 300 and 900
Webster's New World

(rare) Of, or relating to an ounce, or an inch, especially to letters printed an inch high.

Wiktionary
noun
A style of writing characterized by somewhat rounded capital letters. It provided the model from which most of the capital letters in the modern Latin alphabet are derived.
American Heritage
An uncial letter.
Webster's New World
An uncial manuscript.
Webster's New World
Uncial script.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Uncial

Noun

Singular:
uncial
Plural:
uncials

Origin of Uncial

  • Attested 1712, from Late Latin unciales (“uncials"), unciales litterae (“uncial letters") (Jerome), plural of uncialis (“pertaining to one twelfth part, ounce, or inch"), from uncia (“one twelfth part, ounce, inch"). The literal meaning is unclear: some references indicate "inch-high letters", but see “Uncial script" in Wikipedia.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Late Latin ūnciālēs (litterae) inch-high (letters), uncials pl. of Latin ūnciālis inch-high from ūncia a twelfth part, ounce, inch oi-no- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Attested 1650, from Latin uncia (“one twelfth part, ounce, inch").

    From Wiktionary

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