denarius
/dɪˈnɛːrɪəs
/ /dɪˈnɑːrɪəs /noun (plural denarii /dɪˈnɑːrɪʌɪ/ /dɪˈnɑːrɪiː/)
1An ancient Roman silver coin, originally worth ten asses.The principal medium for the payment of these dues was the denarius or silver penny....
- The earliest, a worn denarius of Severus Alexander, was particularly interesting as it showed that such coins were still in use at least 250 years after they had been struck.
- The gold denomination of the Roman Empire was the aureus, which was worth twenty-five silver denarii.
1.1A unit of weight equal to that of a silver denarius.In 793 or 794 Charlemagne raised the weight of the Frankish denarius and increased its size, thereby creating what would long remain the appearance of the typical medieval penny.
1.2An ancient Roman gold coin worth 25 silver denarii.The very word ‘soldier’ means ‘paid’, from the Latin solidus, originally a gold coin worth 25 denarii, and the Old French soulde....
- ‘Two gold denarii! ‘declared Charon with an air of finality.’
- Included amongst them were a Roman denarius, several silver Roman hammered coins, a Saxon worker's livery badge and a partial bronze axe head dating back some 2,500 years.
Origin
Latin, literally 'containing ten', from the phrase denarius nummus 'coin worth ten asses' (see as2), from deni 'in tens', from decem 'ten'.