quincunx

noun

quin·cunx ˈkwin-ˌkəŋ(k)s

: an arrangement of five things in a square or rectangle with one at each corner and one in the middle

quincuncial

kwin-ˈkən(t)-shəl

adjective

or quincunxial

kwin-ˈkəŋk-sē-əl

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Give Me Five for Quincunx

In ancient Rome, a quincunx was a coin with a weight equal to five twelfths of a libra, a unit of weight similar to our pound. The coin's name comes from the Latin roots quinque, meaning "five," and uncia, meaning "one twelfth." The ancients used a pattern of five dots arranged like the pips on a die as a symbol for the coin, and English speakers applied the word to arrangements similar to that distinctive five-dot mark.

Examples of quincunx in a Sentence

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The Moon will leave heated Aries for steady Taurus next, while loving Venus and dreamy Neptune form an odd quincunx. —

Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 21 Sep. 2024 Mercury will make its own quincunx to Chiron later on, so the potential for healing is here. —

Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 21 Sep. 2024 Venus in Leo creates a quincunx with Saturn retrograde in Pisces, minimising our confidence and wallets. —

Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 10 July 2024 The Moon in Capricorn jumps into an opposition to Venus in Cancer, and then the Sun, also in Cancer, will make an uncomfortable quincunx to Pluto in Aquarius at 8:01 am EDT. —

Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for quincunx