What does denarii mean?
"Denarii" is the plural form of "denarius," the standard silver coin of ancient Rome that served as the backbone of the empire's monetary system from roughly the third century BCE onward. A single denarius originally represented about one day's wage for a common laborer or soldier, making the term a useful benchmark when historians describe prices, wages, and wealth in the ancient world. The word appears most often in discussions of Roman history, biblical scholarship, archaeology, and coin collecting: the Gospels mention denarii in parables about workers and wages, and hoards of denarii unearthed across former Roman territories offer evidence of trade and economy. Because it is inherently plural, "denarii" always refers to more than one coin; the singular is "denarius." The word lends writing a precise, scholarly tone and remains valuable to anyone reading about classical antiquity or numismatics.
noun (plural)The plural of denarius, a silver coin of ancient Rome, roughly equivalent to a day's wage for a laborer in the classical period.
- Plural of denarius: the silver coins of ancient Rome, each worth about a day's laborer's wage.
- By extension, any money or payment, especially in historical, biblical, or figurative contexts.
"The legionary received his pay of several denarii each month."
"A loaf of bread cost just a few denarii in first-century Rome."
"In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, each laborer receives the same denarius regardless of how many hours he has worked."
"Denarii" is itself already the plural of "denarius." It does not take a further plural ending. Use singular verbs with "denarius" and plural verbs with "denarii."
"One denarius bought a meal; ten denarii covered a week's lodging."
Judas was famously paid thirty pieces of silver for betraying Jesus — and many scholars believe those were thirty denarii, roughly a month's wages.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of denarii
"Denarii" is simply the Latin plural of "denarius," a silver coin whose name derives from the Latin phrase "deni" meaning "containing ten," because it was originally valued at ten bronze asses. The word entered English through scholarly and historical writing, retaining its Latin plural form alongside the anglicized "denariuses." Its legacy extends into modern currency: the dinar used in several Middle Eastern and Balkan countries, and the former French denier, all trace back to the same Roman root.
How denarii is actually used
Used almost exclusively as the plural of 'denarius'. In modern English it appears mainly in historical, archaeological, biblical, and numismatic contexts; writers discussing everyday money today would use other terms. The word carries a scholarly or antiquarian register rather than colloquial use.
Easily confused with denarii
'Denarius' is the singular form referring to one Roman silver coin, while 'denarii' is its plural form referring to multiple such coins.
A 'denier' is either an old French coin descended from the same Latin root, or the unit measuring fabric thread thickness — not the Roman plural.