quincunx

American  

[kwing-kuhngks, kwin-] / ˈkwɪŋ kʌŋks, ˈkwɪn- /

noun

1. an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

2. Botany. an overlapping arrangement of five petals or leaves, in which two are interior, two are exterior, and one is partly interior and partly exterior.

---

quincunx British  

/ ˈkwɪnkʌŋks /

noun

1. a group of five objects arranged in the shape of a rectangle with one at each of the four corners and the fifth in the centre

2. botany a quincuncial arrangement of sepals or petals in the bud

3. astrology an aspect of 150° between two planets

---

Etymology

Origin of quincunx

1640–50; < Latin: five twelfths ( quinc-, variant of quīnque- quinque- + uncia twelfth; ounce ¹ ); originally a Roman coin worth five twelfths of an as and marked with a quincunx of spots

Example Sentences

As we walked along the geometric beds — many of them planted in an ancient Roman quincunx pattern — I made notes on the beautiful crops I had never grown.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2010

Another lesson from Monticello is planting crops in a quincunx pattern.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2010

“It’s a quincunx for probability distribution analysis,” says Siraj.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

Ainsley’s gemstones and Siraj’s quincunx both earned an honorable mention.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

In Grave they set the plants in quincunx, i.e. in equilateral triangles of three and a half pieds every side; and they stick a pole of six or eight feet high to every vine, separately.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 2 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson