From L unus<\/b> came the abstract noun unitas<\/b> (\u201coneness\u201d), whence E unity<\/i>. There was a Latin synonym unio<\/b>, source of E union<\/i>\u2014and, believe it or not, of onion<\/i>. L unicus<\/b> gave us unique<\/i>. The Latin noun quadra <\/b>(\u201csquare\u201d) clearly shows its numerical origin; English square<\/i>, squad<\/i>, and squadron<\/i> are all well disguised derivatives of vulgar Latin *exquadra<\/b>. The poet Horace popularized the term sesquipedalian<\/i>, used humorously to describe words \u201cone and a half feet\u201d in length. Number systems based on twelve are called duodecimal<\/i>, from L duodecem<\/b> (12), ultimate source of E dozen<\/i>, a French transmission. (Only a mischievous librarian would claim that duodecimal<\/i> is related to Dewey Decimal.)<\/p>\r\n
It is perhaps confusing that English forms in tri-<\/i> may be from either Latin or Greek. Some Latin derivatives include triangle, tricolor, triennium, trimester<\/i> (3 months), trisect,<\/i> and triumvirate. <\/i>A bang-up Latin \u201ctri-<\/b>\u201d <\/b>word is TNT (tri-nitro-toluene<\/i> = C7<\/sub>H5<\/sub>N3<\/sub>O6<\/sub>). Greek derivatives in English include trilogy, trimeter, tripod, triptych, trilobite <\/i>(a Palaeozoic fossil with 3 lobes), and triceratops<\/i> (tri-cerat-ops<\/b> < \u03c4\u03c1\u03b9- + \u03ba\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4-\u03bf\u03c2, \u201chorn\u201d + \u1f40\u03c8, \u201cface\u201d)\u2014one of many familiar dinosaurs[footnote] E dinosaur<\/em> < modern Latin dinosaurus<\/strong> < G \u03b4\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 (\u201cterrible\u201d) + \u03c3\u03b1\u03c5\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 (\u201clizard\u201d).[\/footnote] to bear a thoroughly Greek name.<\/p>\r\n SPECIAL NOTE<\/b>: The next two sections (\u00a7128<\/a> and \u00a7129<\/a>) are inserted for those who are curious to explore the nomenclature of the metric system and other specialized aspects of numerical terminology. The two sections are intended for reference only.<\/b> Readers with less interest in these matters may skip immediately to \u00a7130<\/a>.<\/p>","rendered":" From L unus<\/b> came the abstract noun unitas<\/b> (\u201coneness\u201d), whence E unity<\/i>. There was a Latin synonym unio<\/b>, source of E union<\/i>\u2014and, believe it or not, of onion<\/i>. L unicus<\/b> gave us unique<\/i>. The Latin noun quadra <\/b>(\u201csquare\u201d) clearly shows its numerical origin; English square<\/i>, squad<\/i>, and squadron<\/i> are all well disguised derivatives of vulgar Latin *exquadra<\/b>. The poet Horace popularized the term sesquipedalian<\/i>, used humorously to describe words \u201cone and a half feet\u201d in length. Number systems based on twelve are called duodecimal<\/i>, from L duodecem<\/b> (12), ultimate source of E dozen<\/i>, a French transmission. (Only a mischievous librarian would claim that duodecimal<\/i> is related to Dewey Decimal.)<\/p>\n It is perhaps confusing that English forms in tri-<\/i> may be from either Latin or Greek. Some Latin derivatives include triangle, tricolor, triennium, trimester<\/i> (3 months), trisect,<\/i> and triumvirate. <\/i>A bang-up Latin \u201ctri-<\/b>\u201d <\/b>word is TNT (tri-nitro-toluene<\/i> = C7<\/sub>H5<\/sub>N3<\/sub>O6<\/sub>). Greek derivatives in English include trilogy, trimeter, tripod, triptych, trilobite <\/i>(a Palaeozoic fossil with 3 lobes), and triceratops<\/i> (tri-cerat-ops<\/b> < \u03c4\u03c1\u03b9- + \u03ba\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2, \u03ba\u03b5\u03c1\u03b1\u03c4-\u03bf\u03c2, \u201chorn\u201d + \u1f40\u03c8, \u201cface\u201d)\u2014one of many familiar dinosaurs[1]<\/sup><\/a> to bear a thoroughly Greek name.<\/p>\n SPECIAL NOTE<\/b>: The next two sections (\u00a7128<\/a> and \u00a7129<\/a>) are inserted for those who are curious to explore the nomenclature of the metric system and other specialized aspects of numerical terminology. The two sections are intended for reference only.<\/b> Readers with less interest in these matters may skip immediately to \u00a7130<\/a>.<\/p>\n