Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A member of a duumvirate.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Roman history, one of two officers or magistrates united in the same public function.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Rom. Antiq.) One of two Roman officers or magistrates united in the same public functions.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun One of two persons jointly exercising the same office in Republican Rome.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin : duum, genitive pl. of duo, two; see dwo- in Indo-European roots + vir, man; see wī-ro- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Latin duo ("two") + vir ("man").

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Examples

  • They stayed in the comfortable coolness of the house of the chief ethnarch, though these days he was a Roman citizen, and pretended he was more at ease being called a duumvir than an ethnarch.

    The Grass Crown McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1991

  • Malluch lingered to say, quickly, "The duumvir was a Roman, yet I see his son in the garments of a Jew."

    Ben-Hur, a tale of the Christ 1901

  • It had been vowed by the Dictator Postumius in the Latin war; his son was appointed "duumvir" for its dedication.

    The History of Rome, Vol. I 1905

  • In this same colony my father attained to the post of duumvir and became the foremost citizen of the place, after filling all the municipal offices of honour.

    The Defense Apuleius 2008

  • In this same colony my father attained to the post of duumvir and became the foremost citizen of the place, after filling all the municipal offices of honour.

    The Defense Apuleius 2008

  • "Ah, Burgundus, just the man I need!" said the duumvir (whose colleague, a less forceful man, had mysteriously disappeared).

    The Grass Crown McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1991

  • "On whose authority do you presume to execute in the forum of Minturnae a man who has been consul of Rome six times — a hero?" asked the senior duumvir.

    The Grass Crown McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1991

  • The moment the troop had ridden off, the duumvir nodded to his beadles.

    The Grass Crown McCullough, Colleen, 1937- 1991

  • V.F. Philippus_; the meaning, according to the older interpretation, will be: "Philippus beseeches M. Holconius Priscus, duumvir of justice, to favor or patronize him;" whereas the true sense is:

    Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

  • "Philippus beseeches you to create M. Holconius Priscus a duumvir of justice."

    Museum of Antiquity A Description of Ancient Life

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