Word definition: decade

Etimology


From Middle English decade, from Old French decade, from Late Latin decādem (“(set of) ten”), from Ancient Greek δεκάς (dekás), from δέκα (déka, “ten”). In reference to a span of ten years, originally a clipping of the phrase decade of years. By surface analysis, deca- +‎ -ade. Doublet of decad.

noun


decade (plural decades)

A group, set, or series of ten [from 16th c.], particularly:

(electronics) A set of resistors, capacitors, etc. connected so as to provide even increments between one and ten times a base electrical resistance.

(physics, engineering) The interval between any two quantities having a ratio of 10 to 1.

Examples


a decade of soldiers

The 1960s was a turbulent decade.

I haven’t seen my cousin in over a decade!

The repeated exposure, over decades, to most taxa here treated has resulted in repeated modifications of both diagnoses and discussions, as initial ideas of the various taxa underwent—often repeated—conceptual modification.

Thru May: 1920s — The Decade That Roared. New exhibition portraying historical events and everyday life during the Roaring Twenties.

Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades.

Some of these employees have been with the company for decades, which made the company's claims that it offers good training, positive management and excellent job security and benefit packages all the more compelling.

The year was divided up into twelve months renamed after the seasons [...]; each month comprised three ‘decades’ of ten days – with the décadi replacing Sundays as a day of rest; and each day was reconsecrated to a natural product or farming tool or technique.

There are decades between 1.8 and 18, between 25 and 250 and between 0.03 and 0.003.

Related words


synonyms

(10 year period): decennium, decennary, decenniad

coordinate terms

(group) monad, duad/dyad, triad, tetrad, pentad, hexad, hebdomad/heptad, ogdoad/octad, ennead/nonad, decad/decade, hendecad, dodecad/duodecade, chiliad

related terms

decadal

Data provided by Wiktionary