decem-L. decem ten, used in combination, as decemjugis ten-yoked, decempedālis ten feet long, decemplicātus ten-fold, etc.; hence in various technical words: decemˈcostatea.[costa], having ten ribs. decemˈdentatea.[L. dens tooth], having ten teeth or points (Smart 1836). deˈcemfida.[L. -fidus cleft], divided into ten parts, segments, or lobes (ibid.). decemˈflorousa.[L. -flōr-us, -flowered], ‘having ten flowers’ (Syd. Soc.Lex. 1882). decemˈfoliate, -ˈfoliolate[L. folium leaf, foliolus leaflet], having ten leaves or leaflets. deˈcemjugatea.[L. jugāt-us yoked], ‘having ten pairs of leaflets or of other organs’ (Syd. Soc.Lex. 1882). decemˈloculara.[L. loculus little bag], ten-celled, having ten little cells for seeds (Smart 1836). † decemnovenala.[L. decemnovem nineteen], of nineteen years = decennovennal. ˌdecemnoveˈnarian, a man of the Nineteenth Century; hence decemnoveˈnarianism, the characteristics distinctive of a man of the Nineteenth Century; decemnoveˈnarianizev., to act the decemnovenarian. deˈcempedala.[L. decempedālis, f.pes, ped- feet], (a) ten feet in length (obs.); (b) having ten feet. deˈcempedatea.=prec. b (Syd. Soc.Lex. 1882). decemˈpennatea.[L. penna wing], having ten flight-feathers on the pinion-bone. ˈdecemplexa.[L. -plex -fold], tenfold (S.S. Lex.). ˈdecemplicatea.[L. plicātus plaited, folded], ‘having ten plaits or folds’ (ibid.). decemˈpunctatea.[L. punctum a point], ‘having ten points or spots’ (ibid.). decemˈstriatea.[L. striātus grooved], ‘having ten striæ’ (ibid.).1858Bentham Handbk.Brit. Flora 7 Decemdentate..Decemfid..Decemfoliate..Decemfoliolate.1588J. Harvey Disc.Probl. 95 The Golden, decemnouenall, or Lunarie circle.1698Wallis in Phil.Trans. XX. 187 That is, this is the Eighth Year of such Decem-novenal Cycle, or Circle of Nineteen Years.1863[De Morgan]From Matter to SpiritPref. 6 We, respectable decemnovenarians as we are, have been so nourished on theories..that most of us cannot live with an unexplained fact in our heads.1890F. Hall in N.Y. Nation L. 316/1 Though a decemnovenarian, as some would call him, he is not to be allowed to decemnovenarianize in language.1864Miss Cobbe Studies New & Old (1865) 359 We have all heard much concerning this ‘Decemnovenarianism’ for a long time before he received his formidable cognomen.Ibid. 379 Is it Steam which has made ‘Decemnovenarianism’, or ‘Decemnovenarianism’ which has created Steam?1827G. S. Faber Sacr. Cal. Proph. (1844) I. 48 A yet future decempartite division of that Empire.1656Blount Glossogr., Decempedal, of ten foot, or ten foot long.1708Motteux Rabelais iv. lxiv. (1737) 262 The shadow is decempedal.
decem-/ˈdɛsəm/combining form.
ORIGIN:Latin = ten.
Ten, tenfold.
decem- combining form Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin, from decem ten : ten < decemcostate >