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Webster 1913 Edition

Uncial

Un′cial

,
Adj.
[L.
uncialis
amounting to the twelfth part of a pound or a foot, from
uncia
the twelfth part of a pound or of a foot, an ounce, an inch: cf. F.
oncial
. See
Inch
a measure.]
Of, pertaining to, or designating, a certain style of letters used in ancient manuscripts, esp. in Greek and Latin manuscripts. The letters are somewhat rounded, and the upstrokes and downstrokes usually have a slight inclination. These letters were used as early as the 1st century
b. c.
, and were seldom used after the 10th century
a. d.
, being superseded by the cursive style.

Un′cial

,
Noun.
An uncial letter.

Webster 1828 Edition

Uncial

UN'CIAL

,
Adj.
[L. uncialis.] Pertaining to letters of a large size, used in ancient manuscripts.

UN'CIAL

,
Noun.
An uncial letter.

Definition 2024

uncial

uncial

English

Adjective

uncial ‎(comparative more uncial, superlative most uncial)

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

Etymology 2

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.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʌn.si.əl/,[1]/ˈʌn.ʃi.əl/, /ˈʌn.ʃəl/[1][2]

Adjective

uncial ‎(comparative more uncial, superlative most uncial)

  1. Of or relating to uncial, a majuscule style of writing with unjoined, rounded letters, originally used in the 4th–9th centuries.
Translations

Noun

uncial ‎(plural uncials)

  1. A style of writing using uncial letters.
  2. A letter in this style.
  3. A manuscript in this style.
Translations

Derived terms

  • semi-uncial, half-uncial

Related terms

References

  1. 1 2 “uncial” in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Online.
  2. ↑ “uncial” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.

Anagrams

Spanish

Adjective

uncial m, f ‎(plural unciales)

  1. uncial

Noun

uncial f ‎(plural unciales)

  1. uncial

Etymology

Attested 1650, from Latin uncia ‎(“one twelfth part, ounce, inch”).

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