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Where does the word "decimal" come from? It comes from Latin decimus, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
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Where does the word "decimal" come from? It comes from Latin decimus, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
Decimal’s story begins in Latin: decimus meant “tenth.” Tenth, from decem (ten). It reached English by 1600s as decimal. Settled as the mathematical word for a base-ten numbering system. Today, decimal means relating to a numbering system based on units of ten.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient decimus "tenth", tenth, from decem (ten).
- Stage 2 · English · 1600s decimal "relating to a base-ten numbering system", settled as the mathematical word for a base-ten numbering system.