uncial

uncial
uncially, adv.
/un"shee euhl, -sheuhl/, adj.
1. designating, written in, or pertaining to a form of majuscule writing having a curved or rounded shape and used chiefly in Greek and Latin manuscripts from about the 3rd to the 9th century A.D.
n.
2. an uncial letter.
3. uncial writing.
4. a manuscript written in uncials.
[1640-50; < LL unciales (litterae) (Jerome) uncial (letters), pl. of L uncialis weighing one twelfth of a libra (see UNCIA, -AL1); literal sense is unclear]

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      in calligraphy, ancient majuscular book hand characterized by simple, rounded strokes. It apparently originated in the 2nd century AD when the codex form of book developed along with the growing use of parchment and vellum as writing surfaces. Unlike its prototype square roman, uncial is adapted to direct strokes of the pen held in one position and was thus the natural favourite of scribes; most of the works of Latin literature for more than 500 years were copied in this hand.

      Half-uncial, or semi-uncial, script developed through the scribes' tendency in certain schools, such as the Insular script of the British Isles, to adopt more cursive forms, admitting ascenders and descenders.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • uncial — [un′shē əl, un′shəl] adj. [L uncialis, of an inch, inch high < uncia, a twelfth part, INCH1] designating or of a form of large, rounded letter used in the script of Greek and Latin manuscripts between A.D. 300 and 900 n. 1. an uncial letter 2 …   English World dictionary

  • Uncial — Un cial, n. An uncial letter. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Uncial — Un cial, a. [L. uncialis amounting to the twelfth part of a pound or a foot, from uncia the twelfth part of a pound or of a foot, an ounce, an inch: cf. F. oncial. See {Inch} a measure.] Of, pertaining to, or designating, a certain style of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • uncial — 1640s, pertaining to an ounce, from L. uncialis of an inch, of an ounce, from uncia a twelfth part (see INCH (Cf. inch)). In ref. to letters, it is attested from 1712, from L.L. litterae unciales (Jerome), probably meaning letters an inch high,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • uncial — adj. 2 g. Diz se de uma escrita romana, em letras de grandes dimensões, e de uma escrita mais pequena derivada da precedente e empregada a partir do século IV …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • uncial — (Del lat. unciālis, de una pulgada). 1. adj. Se dice de ciertas letras, todas mayúsculas y del tamaño de una pulgada, que se usaron hasta el siglo VII. U. t. c. s.) 2. Se dice también de este sistema de escritura …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • uncial — I. adjective Etymology: Late Latin unciales (litterae) uncial (letters), from Latin, plural of uncialis weighing an ounce, from uncia twelfth part, ounce more at ounce Date: 1712 written in the style or size of uncials • uncially adverb II. noun… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • uncial — un•ci•al [[t]ˈʌn ʃi əl, ʃəl[/t]] adj. 1) ling. designating, written in, or pertaining to a form of majuscule writing having a curved or rounded shape and used chiefly in Greek and Latin manuscripts from about the 3rd to the 9th century a.d. 2)… …   From formal English to slang

  • Uncial — Name of a script, which indicated it was inch high ; in use from the 4c in Greek and Latin MSS until well after the 16c. The earliest known example of the work of a European monk/scribe was written in uncial c.517. The word uncial itself was not… …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

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