Skip to main content
Roman numeral

Roman numeral

6 3.2
A letter from the Roman system that stands for a number, like I or V
  • noun
  • /ˈroʊmən ˈnjuːmərəl/
translation icon : número romano
  • Major sections may be numbered in Roman numerals.
  • designated by Roman numerals
  • date in Roman numerals
  • using Roman numerals

Examples

  • Do not number tables and figures using Roman numerals.

    Academic text (2012)
  • You've probably never tried it, but multiplication and division are difficult to do with Roman numerals.

    Blog text (31)
  • Some people like to go crazy and do the date in Roman numerals.

    Blog text (17)
  • Also, lower case Roman numerals are the page numbers in books before you get to the actual chapters of the book.

  • Sep had a gold watch with Roman numerals on it.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Quotations will be identified by volume number (Roman numerals I-V) followed by a page reference.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Number tables consecutively through the manuscript, using Roman numerals. If appropriate, cite the source of the data in a note immediately beneath the table.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Figure 4b shows how the Roman numeral view of the chord sheet appears after the student has correctly entered the chords.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The Christensen photograph, however, clearly documents the 1883 date in Roman numerals on the façade of the posuban.

    Academic text (2007)
  • The year 2024 will be written as MMXXIV in Roman numerals.

Synonyms

numeral
vsRoman numeral
14 3.4

A word or symbol that shows a number

is a traditional system using letters to stand for numerical values
cardinal numeral
vsRoman numeral
  • Specialized
1.6

A word or number that tells how many things there are

is a writing system that uses letters as number symbols

Antonyms

A symbol from 0 to 9 used to write numbers

How Complex

binary system
  • Specialized
1 3.5
decimal system
  • Specialized
2 3.1
number system
  • Specialized
2 3.5
Roman numeral
6 3.2
to tally
18 3.0

Surface Forms

Roman numeral singular

Morphology

Roman + numeral

The noun is a straightforward composition of 'Roman' (pertaining to Rome) + 'numeral' (a written sign for a number), so its meaning — a number-symboling system associated with ancient Rome — is directly derivable from the constituents. This adjective+noun pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the term.

Etymology

Roman numeral comes from old Rome, where people used letters for counting. Picture letters like I for one, V for five and X for ten carved on stones and clocks to show 'numbers', and that picture explains why we call those letter signs 'Roman numerals' today.