dĕcem (DEKEM, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 1, 844 al.—The best MSS. and editt. vacillate often between the word and its sign X), num. [Sanscr. and Zend, daçan, Gr. δέκα, Old H. Germ. zëhan, Germ. zehn, Eng. ten], ten.
I Prop.: decem minae, Ter. Phorm. 662 and 663: hominum milia decem, Caes. B. G. 1, 4; 7, 21: fundi decem et tres, Cic. Rosc. Am. 7, 20; cf. id. ib. 35, 99: milia passuum decem novem, Caes. B. G. 1, 8; Tac. H. 2, 58.—
B Decem primi (separated thus in the inscrr.), or in one word, Dĕcemprīmi , ōrum, m., the heads or presidents of the ten decuriae which usually formed the senate in an Italian city or Roman colony (afterwards called decaproti, v. h. v.): magistratus et decem primi, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 67; id. Rosc. Am. 9, 25; Inscr. Orell. 642 and 1848. Their dignity was termed dĕcemprīmātus , ūs, m. (also decaprotia, v. h. v.), Dig. 50, 4, 1.—
II Meton., for an indefinite, round number: si decem habeas linguas, mutum esse addecet, Plaut. Bac. 1, 2, 20; id. Merc. 2, 3, 11; Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 25: habebat saepe ducentos, Saepe decem servos, etc., id. S. 1, 3, 12: cf.: decies.