deci-
(dɛsɪ)
shortened from L. decimus tenth.
1. In the French metric system, the initial element in names of measures and weights which are one tenth of the standard unit. (Cf. deca-.) Thus deciare, decigramme, deci-gram, decilitre, decimetre, decineper, decistere, the tenth part of the are, gramme, litre, metre, neper, and stere respectively.
| 1801 Dupré, Neol. Fr. Dict. s.v., In dry measure, the..décilitre is equal to one eighth of the litron. 1809 Naval Chron. XXII. 363 It was about three decimetres in length. 1810 Ibid. XXIV. 301 Deciar = 2·63 square toises. Ibid., Decimeter..decilittre..decistere..decigram. 1871 C. Davies Metr. Syst. i. 14, 1 decilitre = 6·102338 cubic inches. 1883 Daily News 12 July 3/7 Cartridges of one decimetre in length each. 1890 Ibid. 14 Nov. 6/2 A decigram of liquid is used for each injection. 1931 Telegr. & Teleph. Jrnl. Mar. 119/2 The unit [of attenuation] adopted in France and Germany is the neper or decineper. |
2. Rarely in technical terms, as † deci-duodecimal a., (a crystal) having the form of a ten-sided prism with twelve additional planes at the ends (six at each end).
| 1805–17 R. Jameson Char. Min. (ed. 3) 206 Sex-decimal, when the planes that belong to the prism..and those which belong to the two summits, are the one six, and the other ten in number or vice versa..In the same manner, we say, octo-decimal..octo-duodecimal, and deci-duodecimal. |