septenary

American  

[sep-tuh-ner-ee] / ˈsɛp təˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. of or relating to the number seven or forming a group of seven.

2. septennial.

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noun

septenaries plural

1. a group or set of seven.

2. a period of seven years.

3. the number seven.

4. Prosody. a line of seven feet.

septenary British  

/ ˈsɛptɪnərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to the number seven

2. forming a group of seven

3. another word for septennial

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noun

1. the number seven

2. a group of seven things

3. a period of seven years

4. prosody a line of seven metrical feet

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• septenaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of septenary

First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin septēnārius “consisting of seven, containing seven,” equivalent to septēn(ī) “seven each” (derivative of sept(em) “seven” + -ēnī distributive suffix) + -ārius adjective suffix. See seven, -ary

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

septenary septenaries

This is a rare instance of the use of the long septenary in nineteenth-century poetry.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

Poulter's Measure, an old-fashioned couplet, composed of an alexandrine and a septenary, a6a7, 88 f.

From The Principles of English Versification by Baum, Paull Franklin

The turn of a four-dimensional world is near, but the puzzle of science will ever continue until their concepts reach the natural dimensions of visible and invisible space—in its septenary completeness.

From Five Years of Theosophy by Various

It is septenary in constitution, as may be seen in its vibrations expressed in color and sound.

From Elementary Theosophy by Rogers, L. W. (Louis William)

Keep on dividing this number by 7 until there is nothing more left to divide, and the remainders will be found to be 11333311 which is 1,000,000 expressed in the septenary scale.

From Amusements in Mathematics by Dudeney, Henry Ernest

We find, therefore, tumbling verse, alexandrines, septenaries, and intricate strophic forms, all commonly written with slight regard for syllable-counting principles.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

These are the literal meanings; the mystic meanings are very different, and among other things denote the septenary prismatic colours and other septenaries in nature.

From Simon Magus by Mead, George Robert Stow

The use of alexandrines and septenaries together, we have seen, was common even in the Middle English period, but not in regular alternation.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

The poem opens with a septenary— "Tho Iesu Crist an eorthe was, mylde weren his dede;" and septenaries and alexandrines are used interchangeably.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald

Chapman's translation of Iliad is the longest modern English poem in septenaries.

From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Alden, Raymond MacDonald