Roman numerals - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Roman numerals

–noun

the numerals in the ancient Roman system of notation, still used for certain limited purposes, as in some pagination, dates on buildings, etc. The common basic symbols are I (=1), V (=5), X (=10), L (=50), C (=100), D (=500), and M (=1000). The Roman numerals for one to nine are: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX. A bar over a letter multiplies it by 1000; thus, X̅ equals 10,000. Integers are written according to these two rules: If a letter is immediately followed by one of equal or lesser value, the two values are added; thus, XX equals 20, XV equals 15, VI equals 6. If a letter is immediately followed by one of greater value, the first is subtracted from the second; thus, IV equals 4, XL equals 40, CM equals 900. Examples: XLVII(=47), CXVI(=116), MCXX(=1120), MCMXIV(=1914). Roman numerals may be written in lowercase letters, though they appear more commonly in capitals.

[Origin: 1725–35

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Roman numerals

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Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Roman numerals

I,II,III etc, as opposed to the Arabic numerals 1,2,3 etc

Arabic:	الأرْقام الرّومانيَّه
Chinese (Simplified):	罗马数字
Chinese (Traditional):	羅馬數字
Czech:	římské číslice
Danish:	romertal
Dutch:	Romeinse cijfers
Estonian:	rooma numbrid
Finnish:	roomalaiset numerot
French:	chiffre romain
German:	römische Ziffern(pl.)
Greek:	λατινικοί αριθμοί
Hungarian:	római számok
Icelandic:	rómverskar tölur
Indonesian:	angka Romawi

Italian:	numeri romani*
Japanese:	ローマ数字
Latvian:	romiešu cipari
Lithuanian:	romėniški skaitmenys
Norwegian:	romertall
Polish:	cyfry rzymskie
Portuguese (Portugal):	numerais romanos
Romanian:	cifre romane
Russian:	римские цифры
Slovak:	rímske číslice
Slovenian:	rimske številke
Spanish:	número romano
Swedish:	romerska siffror
Turkish:	Romen rakamları

See also: Roman, Roman alphabet, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
Roman numerals

Letters of the alphabet used in ancient Rome to represent numbers: I = 1; V = 5; X = 10; L = 50; C = 100; D = 500; M = 1000. The numbers one through ten are written I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X. Roman numerals are often used to signify divisions of a long work, or of a work with many parts. They are also used to lend significance to something, as in Super Bowl VII. Formal designation of years may also be in Roman numerals: a.d. MCMLXXXIX = a.d. 1989.

[Chapter:] Conventions of Written English

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