decemvir

[ dih-sem-ver ]
/ dɪˈsɛm vər /

noun, plural de·cem·virs, de·cem·vi·ri [dih-sem-vuh-rahy] /dɪˈsɛm vəˌraɪ/.

a member of a permanent board or a special commission of ten members in ancient Rome, especially the commission that drew up Rome's first code of law.
a member of any council or ruling body of ten.

Origin of decemvir

1570–80; < Latin, orig. plural decemvirī, equivalent to decem ten + virī men

OTHER WORDS FROM decemvir

de·cem·vi·ral, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for decemvir

British Dictionary definitions for decemvir

decemvir
/ (dɪˈsɛmvə) /

noun plural -virs or -viri (-vɪˌriː)

(in ancient Rome) a member of a board of ten magistrates, esp either of the two commissions established in 451 and 450 bc to revise the laws
a member of any governing body composed of ten men

Derived forms of decemvir

decemviral, adjective

Word Origin for decemvir

C17: from Latin, from decem ten + virī men