dec

‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. de`ka ten + ke`ras a horn. ] (Zool.) The division of Cephalopoda which includes the squids, cuttlefishes, and others having ten arms or tentacles; -- called also Decapoda. [ Written also Decacera. ] See Dibranchiata.

{ } n. [ Gr. deka`chordos tenstringed; de`ka ten + chordh` a string. ] 1. An ancient Greek musical instrument of ten strings, resembling the harp. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something consisting of ten parts. W. Watson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. decacuminare to cut off the top. See Cacuminate. ] Having the point or top cut off. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A decade. [ 1913 Webster ]

Averill was a decad and a half his elder. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to ten; consisting of tens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. décade, L. decas, -adis, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. de`ka ten. See Ten. ] A group or division of ten; esp., a period of ten years; a decennium; as, a decade of years or days; a decade of soldiers; the second decade of Livy. [ Written also decad. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

During this notable decade of years. Gladstone.

{ } n. [ LL. decadentia; L. de- + cadere to fall: cf. F. décadence. See Decay. ] A falling away; decay; deterioration; declension. “The old castle, where the family lived in their decadence.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that is decadent, or deteriorating; esp., one characterized by, or exhibiting, the qualities of those who are degenerating to a lower type; -- specif. applied to a certain school of modern French writers.

The decadents and æsthetes, and certain types of realists. C. L. Dana.

The business men of a great State allow their State to be represented in Congress by “decadents”. The Century. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]