sestertium

[ se-stur-shee-uhm, -shuhm ]

noun

, plural ses·ter·ti·a [se-, stur, -shee-, uh, -sh, uh].

1. a money of account of ancient Rome, equal to 1000 sesterces.

sestertium

/ sɛˈstɜːtɪəm /

noun

1. an ancient Roman money of account equal to 1000 sesterces

Word History and Origins

Origin of sestertium¹

1530–40; < Latin sēstertium genitive plural of sēstertius sesterce, taken as neuter singular

Word History and Origins

Origin of sestertium¹

C16: from Latin, from the phrase mille sestertium a thousand of sesterces; see sesterce

Example Sentences

Reprehendebat divites is, cujus facultates erant ter millies sestertium: quique luxum aliorum damnabat quingentes tripodas habuit de ligno cedrino, pedibus eburneis, similes & pares inter se, in quibus cœnabat.

From Project Gutenberg

Third—If a numeral adverb were placed by itself, or joined to Sestertium, it signified so many hundred thousand Sesterces; as Decies, or decies Sestertium, 1,000,000 Sesterces—$35,700.

From Project Gutenberg

Sesterces made up a sum called Sestertium, the value of which in our money, was thirty-five dollars and seventy cents.

From Project Gutenberg

Second—If a numeral adjective, of a different case, were joined to the genitive plural of Sestertius, it signified so many thousand Sesterces; as decem Sestertium, 10,000 Sesterces—$357.

From Project Gutenberg

I know which is proper; but sometimes I speak according to the licence of the present fashion, so far as to say Proh Deûm, or Proh Deorum; and at other times I speak as I am forced to, when I say trium virûm, not virorum, and sestertiûm nummûm, not nummorum; because with respect to these words there is no variety of usage.

From Project Gutenberg