vicesimum

Vicesimum is the neuter singular form of the Latin ordinal vicesimus, meaning the twentieth. In classical Latin, vicesimus functions as an adjective that agrees with a neuter noun and is used to designate the twenty-first item in a sequence, the twentieth year, or similar enumerations. The form appears in inscriptions and Latin prose where a neuter noun is implied or explicitly present.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the standard Latin counting system, with vicesimus serving as the common ordinal for twenty. The neuter singular vicesimum is employed in phrases where a neuter noun is governed by the ordinal, such as when modifying a neuter noun or appearing in reduced phrases in inscriptions. In modern English scholarship, vicesimum chiefly appears in discussions of Latin grammar or when translating Latin passages; it is not a widely used word outside these contexts.

Modern usage and significance: Vicesimum is primarily of linguistic and historical interest. It does not constitute a separate concept in contemporary science, philosophy, or popular culture. Its relevance lies in illustrating how Latin ordinals decline to match gender and case in classical texts, rather than in serving as a standalone term in modern nomenclature.

Example: A common Latin construction is anno vicesimo, meaning “in the twentieth year,” where vicesimo is the ablative singular masculine form used with anno to express the time frame.

See also: Latin numerals, vicesimus, Italian and Latin ordinal forms, Latin grammar.

Note: Vicesimum is a grammatical form rather than a widely used term with an independent sense in English-language reference works.