Deca-?
December 16, 2010 8:35 AM Subscribe
Wordsmiths: Is there a commonly used term for a group of ten (people, things)?
Decade can be used for any series of ten things (not just years), but it's not common. I've also seen dectet used in music.
posted by amyms at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by amyms at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2010
It kind of depends on the things, but I guess you could say a tenner, or a 1/2 pack, or two hands, or all fingers.
posted by iamkimiam at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 8:39 AM on December 16, 2010
"Decimation?"
But really, yes, I think "Decade" is the most commonly used, though even that is mostly used by magazine headline writers trying to be cute. I would always write "Ten things" rather than a "A decade of things," not least because a lot of people will read and think "Okay, but which decade? The eighties? The nineties?"
posted by 256 at 8:44 AM on December 16, 2010
But really, yes, I think "Decade" is the most commonly used, though even that is mostly used by magazine headline writers trying to be cute. I would always write "Ten things" rather than a "A decade of things," not least because a lot of people will read and think "Okay, but which decade? The eighties? The nineties?"
posted by 256 at 8:44 AM on December 16, 2010
I've seen usage of the word "decad" to refer to a group of ten before.
posted by Aquaman at 8:54 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by Aquaman at 8:54 AM on December 16, 2010
Although it's not exact, "squad" has about the right size and is exclusive to groups of people.
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:55 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:55 AM on December 16, 2010
One can stick SI Prefixes in front of whatever the object is, e.g., "decabuck" = $10. I also feel that "kilobuck", "megabuck" and "gigabuck", etc., should be in common usage. "Megabuck" is, but typically in state lottery advertisements, and not very precisely.
posted by chengjih at 9:00 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by chengjih at 9:00 AM on December 16, 2010
Minyan*
*Amongst Jews, in context of prayer, but stilll.
posted by mhz at 9:05 AM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
*Amongst Jews, in context of prayer, but stilll.
posted by mhz at 9:05 AM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
what things commonly come in groups of ten? I think we use dozen because we buy a dozen eggs, a dozen bagels (or a baker's dozen, maybe), a dozen roses... which I guess is because 12 is neater to pack and easier to split than 10, or maybe just tradition. I can't think of much that is regularly expected in 10s, and without use a term doesn't become familiar...
although, maybe it's also that "ten" is a really easy word to say, so "ten-pack" is fine for a group of objects. I guess we say "six pack" for bottles of beer, but "half dozen" for bagels or eggs, so maybe it's something to do with whether they come individually...
posted by mdn at 9:15 AM on December 16, 2010
although, maybe it's also that "ten" is a really easy word to say, so "ten-pack" is fine for a group of objects. I guess we say "six pack" for bottles of beer, but "half dozen" for bagels or eggs, so maybe it's something to do with whether they come individually...
posted by mdn at 9:15 AM on December 16, 2010
You can also use "ten" as a noun. "Tens of people were here," you might say, or "Give me a ten of apples." This usage is somewhat obsolete and I've seen it most frequently in humorous contexts, but I believe it should be widely understood.
posted by Electrius at 9:18 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by Electrius at 9:18 AM on December 16, 2010
This would be easy in Dutch. Just take the number, add "tal" (= count) and you get: tweetal, drietal, vijftal, tiental, elftal, etcetera.
A "ten-count" of cops: een tiental dienders. A football team: een elftal.
posted by monospace at 9:20 AM on December 16, 2010
A "ten-count" of cops: een tiental dienders. A football team: een elftal.
posted by monospace at 9:20 AM on December 16, 2010
No.
posted by rongorongo at 9:24 AM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 9:24 AM on December 16, 2010 [2 favorites]
In the brief period when I fancied myself a cool kid I referred to things numbered in tens as a "dime" of something. Thankfully, this period was extremely brief.
posted by FlamingBore at 9:25 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by FlamingBore at 9:25 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
You know, I don't think grouping things by ten works naturally in English.
The closest you come is "a dozen".
posted by KokuRyu at 9:26 AM on December 16, 2010
The closest you come is "a dozen".
posted by KokuRyu at 9:26 AM on December 16, 2010
Minyan!
posted by sourwookie at 10:40 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by sourwookie at 10:40 AM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]
"denary" means containing ten. But it's not commonly used.
posted by indigo4963 at 11:25 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by indigo4963 at 11:25 AM on December 16, 2010
Are you trying to be exact? If not, then using "dozen" or "dozen or so" works pretty well.
posted by nikkorizz at 11:28 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by nikkorizz at 11:28 AM on December 16, 2010
No.
posted by rongorongo at 9:24 AM on December 16 [2 favorites +] [!]
Maybe not on Easter Island!
Decalogue is sometimes used to refer to the Ten Commandments, and I've heard it used loosely to mean a conversation between ten people or some such thing.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:37 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by rongorongo at 9:24 AM on December 16 [2 favorites +] [!]
Maybe not on Easter Island!
Decalogue is sometimes used to refer to the Ten Commandments, and I've heard it used loosely to mean a conversation between ten people or some such thing.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:37 AM on December 16, 2010
In French the word "dizaine" is used for 10 as commonly as "douzaine" for 12. You could try re-deriving a new word, dizen or dizzen, from the parallel root.
posted by zadcat at 11:59 AM on December 16, 2010
posted by zadcat at 11:59 AM on December 16, 2010
Commonly used? Don't think so.
posted by coffeefilter at 11:15 PM on December 16, 2010
posted by coffeefilter at 11:15 PM on December 16, 2010
Not a commonly used one in English, no.
In Arabic and Urdu: Ashara
posted by bardophile at 2:48 AM on December 17, 2010
In Arabic and Urdu: Ashara
posted by bardophile at 2:48 AM on December 17, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:37 AM on December 16, 2010