SKIP TO CONTENT

solidus

/ˈsɑlədəs/
IPA guide

Other forms: solidi

When someone uses the word solidus, they're either talking about an ancient gold coin and/or the punctuation mark also known as a slash.

Solidus comes from the Late Latin nummus solidus, "solid coin," a reference to thick Byzantine Empire coins made of pure gold. The word shilling evolved from solidus, and later the slash between shillings and pence in English prices (eventually replaced by a decimal point) also came to be called a solidus. You use a solidus whenever you write a date this way: 6/19/1805, or a choice between two options like this: vanilla/chocolate.

Definitions of solidus
  1. noun
    a gold coin of the Byzantine Empire; widely circulated in Europe in the Middle Ages
    synonyms: bezant, bezzant, byzant
    see moresee less
    type of:
    coin
    a flat metal piece (usually a disc) used as money
  2. noun
    a punctuation mark (/) used to separate related items of information such as words, lines of text, or numbers
    see moresee less
    type of:
    punctuation, punctuation mark
    the marks used to clarify meaning by indicating separation of words into sentences and clauses and phrases
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘solidus'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family