[uhn-shee-uh
l, -shuhl] 
| 1. | designating, written in, or pertaining to a form of majuscule writing having a curved or rounded shape and used chiefly in Greek and Latin manuscripts from about the 3rd to the 9th century a.d. |
| 2. | an uncial letter. |
| 3. | uncial writing. |
| 4. | a manuscript written in uncials. |
| un·cial also Un·cial (ŭn'shəl, -sē-əl) adj. Of or relating to a style of writing characterized by somewhat rounded capital letters and found especially in Greek and Latin manuscripts of the fourth to the eighth century A.D. n.
[From Late Latin ūnciālēs (litterae), inch-high (letters), uncials, pl. of Latin ūnciālis, inch-high, from ūncia, a twelfth part, ounce, inch; see oi-no- in Indo-European roots.] |
uncial
in calligraphy, ancient majuscular book hand characterized by simple, rounded strokes. It apparently originated in the 2nd century AD when the codex form of book developed along with the growing use of parchment and vellum as writing surfaces. Unlike its prototype square roman, uncial is adapted to direct strokes of the pen held in one position and was thus the natural favourite of scribes; most of the works of Latin literature for more than 500 years were copied in this hand
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