quinary

[ kwahy-nuh-ree ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or consisting of five.
2. arranged in fives.
3. of, relating to, or noting a numerical system based on the number 5.

noun

, plural qui·na·ries.

1. a number in a quinary system.

quinary

/ ˈkwaɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. consisting of fives or by fives
2. fifth in a series
3. (of a number system) having a base of five

noun

1. a set of five

Word History and Origins

Origin of quinary¹

1595–1605; < Latin quīnārius, equivalent to quīn ( ī ) five each + -ārius -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of quinary¹

C17: from Latin quīnārius containing five, from quīnī five each

Example Sentences

Modern mathematicians would say that Gog, the wolf carver, used a five-based or quinary counting system.

From Literature

Even in the South American binary counting schemes, linguists see the beginnings of a quinary system.

From Literature

Instead of making little groups of marks over and over, the scribes created symbols for each type of grouping; in a quinary system, a scribe might make a certain mark for one, a different symbol for a group of five, yet another mark for a group of 25, and so forth.

From Literature

Numbers like seven and 31 belonged to all of these systems, quinary, decimal, and vigesimal alike.

From Literature

Perhaps then the Anthropocene deserves recognition as the beginning of a new geologic period, perhaps known as the Quinary or even the Anthropogene.

From Scientific American