Duodecimi

Duodecimi is a Latin term connected with the ordinal meaning “twelfth.” In classical and later Latin, it can function as a form of the adjective duodecimus, used either as a substantive or as a modifier to indicate position within a sequence or grouping. The same spelling, duodecimi, may represent more than one grammatical case and number depending on context, commonly as the nominative plural masculine or as the genitive singular of the adjective.

Etymology and forms: Duodecimi derives from duo (two) and decimus (tenth), yielding a compound that signifies twelve. As a second-declension adjective, duodecimi follows standard Latin inflection patterns, producing multiple possible endings across gender, number, and case. This flexibility means the form can appear in different syntactic roles, from labeling the twelfth item to indicating possession or relation in a group described as “the twelfth.”

Usage: The term is found in Latin texts whenever ordering, cataloging, or enumerating items is described, especially in literary, juridical, or ecclesiastical contexts. Because Latin adjectives often function as nouns, duodecimi can stand on its own to mean “the twelfth [ones]” in a discourse, with the precise meaning clarified by surrounding grammar.

Relation to other terms: Duodecimi is distinct from duodecimal, the modern base-12 numerical system. While related by the same root built from twelve, duodecimi is a grammatical form used in Latin, not a numeral system designation.

See also: duodecimal, duodecimus, Latin grammar, ordinal numerals in Latin.