septenary

The story

1. Classical Latin · derived fromseptēnārius“consisting of seven each”
2. Middle English · inherited fromseptenarie, septenary
3. English todayseptenary

From Middle English septenarie, septenary, from Classical Latin septēnārius (“consisting of seven each”), from septēnus (“seven each; seven at a time”) + -ārius (whence the English suffix -ary). With use as noun compare septēnārius (“line of seven feet; unit of seven parts; period of seven years”). By surface analysis, septen- + -ary. Doublet of septenar and septenarius.

Words from the same roots