Decade
/ˈdɛk.eɪd/noun
A period of ten years.
Did you know?In ancient Greece, the number ten was associated with perfection and completeness, often linked to the cosmos and divine order.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deḱm̥tis
“A root meaning 'ten'.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
δέκα (déka)
“The word for 'ten'.”
Latin
Latin
decas
“A term meaning 'ten years'.”
Old French
Old French
decade
“Borrowing from Latin, referring to a period of ten.”
15th Century
English
decade
“Adoption into English from Old French, retaining the meaning of a ten-year period.”
Modern English
English
decade
“A standard term used to denote any span of ten years, especially in historical contexts.”