duodecimae

Duodecimae is a Latin feminine plural form associated with the ordinal adjective duodecimus, meaning “the twelfth.” It is used to modify feminine nouns in the nominative and other cases, or can function as a substantive referring to the twelfth items in a sequence. The term appears in grammars, inscriptions, and classical Latin texts wherever an ordinal position is described for feminine nouns.

In Latin, numerals and their ordinals are declined like adjectives. The basic forms for duodecimus are:

- Masculine: duodecimus (singular), duodecimi (plural)

- Feminine: duodecima (singular), duodecimae (plural)

- Neuter: duodecimum (singular), duodecima (plural)

Thus, duodecimae specifically marks the feminine plural. The word is derived from duodecim, meaning twelve, with the standard adjectival ending added to indicate order.

Distinctions: duodecimae differs from the cardinal duodecim (twelve) and from other gendered forms of the ordinal (duodecimus, duodecima, duodecimum). It is encountered in historical Latin texts, scholastic works, and ecclesiastical usage where precise ordinal numbering of feminine nouns is required.

See also: Latin numerals, Latin ordinals, duodecim.

Notes: Latin ordinals agree with the gender and number of their nouns; the form duodecimae signals feminine plural, while other genders or numbers employ corresponding endings. This article concerns the grammatical, rather than specialized or fictional uses of the term.