decade

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromδεκάς
2. Late Latin · derived fromdecādem“(set of) ten”
3. Old French · derived fromdecade
4. Middle English · inherited fromdecade
5. English todaydecade

From Middle English decade, from Old French decade, from Late Latin decādem (“(set of) ten”), from Ancient Greek δεκάς (dekás), from δέκα (déka, “ten”). In reference to a span of ten years, originally a clipping of the phrase decade of years. By surface analysis, dec- + -ade. Doublet of decad and dekad.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. A group, set, or series of ten , particularly
• from 16th c. A period of ten years , particularly such a period beginning with a year ending in 0 and ending with a year ending in 9.
• from 16th c. A period of ten days, particularly those in the ancient Egyptian, Coptic, and French Revolutionary calendars.
• from 16th c. A work in ten parts or books, particularly such divisions of Livy's History of Rome.
• from 16th c. A series of prayers counted on a rosary, typically consisting of an Our Father, followed by ten Hail Marys, and concluding with a Glory Be and sometimes the Fatima Prayer.
• from 16th c. Any of the sets of ten sequential braille characters with predictable patterns.
• from 16th c. A set of ten electronic devices used to represent digits.