What does decemvir mean?
A decemvir is a member of a board or council of ten men, a term drawn almost entirely from ancient Roman history. The most famous decemvirs were the ten magistrates appointed in 451–450 BC to write down Rome's laws, producing the Twelve Tables, the foundation of Roman legal tradition; their power was intended to be temporary and constrained, but the second board abused its authority until public outrage forced its abolition. By extension, the word can describe any member of a ten-person governing committee, though this broader sense is rare. The word carries a formal, historical register and appears chiefly in classical scholarship, legal history, and discussions of constitutional government. Its plural is usually "decemvirs," though the Latin form "decemviri" also occurs, and the related noun "decemvirate" denotes the office or body itself. The term remains useful shorthand for a small collegial authority of exactly ten.
nounA member of a council or board of ten men, especially one of the ten magistrates appointed in ancient Rome around 451–450 BC to draw up a written code of laws (the Twelve Tables). More generally, any member of a ruling committee of ten.
- A member of the ten-man commissions (decemviri) of ancient Rome, especially the board appointed to compile the Twelve Tables.
- By extension, a member of any council or governing body of ten.
"The decemvirs of 451 BC were charged with codifying Roman law, yet their second board grew tyrannical and was forced to resign."
"Under the republic, a decemvir held authority for a fixed term and was expected to lay down his office once his task was complete."
"The historian Livy describes how each decemvir was bound by oath to submit his proposed laws to the people for approval."
Both "decemvirs" (anglicized) and "decemviri" (Latinized) are accepted; "decemvirs" is more natural in modern English prose, while "decemviri" suits strictly classical or academic contexts.
"The decemvirs refused to relinquish their office at the end of their term, provoking a crisis in the early Republic."
Rome's first written law code — the famous Twelve Tables — was drafted by ten men called decemvirs, whose second commission turned so tyrannical that it collapsed within a year.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decemvir
"Decemvir" comes directly from Latin decemvir, formed from decem, meaning "ten," plus vir, meaning "man" — literally "a man of ten." It entered English in the early modern period through Latin historical writing about the Roman Republic. The root decem also underlies familiar words such as "decimal," "December," "decimate," and "December's" cousin "decade," while vir survives in "virtue" and "virile," making "decemvir" a compact fossil of two productive Latin roots.
Related word forms
How decemvir is actually used
"Decemvir" is a formal, scholarly term encountered mainly in classical history and political commentary; in everyday contexts it would be obscure. The plural may be either "decemvirs" (anglicized) or "decemviri" (Latinized), with "decemvirs" more common in modern English prose. The abstract noun for the body itself is "decemvirate."