quincunx

English

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quincunx

Wikipedia

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quīncunx.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪŋkʌŋks/
• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪnkʌŋks/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋks

Noun

quincunx (plural quincunxes or quincunces)

1. An arrangement of five units with four forming the corners of a square and the fifth at the centre of the square, a pattern corresponding to the five-spot on dice, playing cards, or dominoes.
2. (astrology) An angle of five-twelfths of a circle, or 150°, between two objects. [from 1647]
3. A Galton board.
   • 1998, Deborah J. Bennett, Randomness, Harvard University Press, page 104:

     In 1873–74 Sir Francis Galton (Charles Darwin’s cousin) designed an apparatus that he later named the quincunx.

4. (historical, numismatics) A bronze coin minted during the Roman Republic, valued at five-twelfths of an as. [from 1545]

Derived terms

• quincuncial

Translations

arrangement of five units

French: quinconce (fr) m German: Quinkunx (de) f Greek: αστεροπεντάδα f (asteropentáda) Italian: quinconce (it) m or f Khmer: ចតុរង្គ (km) (ca’to’ rʊəŋ) Polish: kwinkunks (pl) Portuguese: quina (pt) f, quincunce m, quincôncio (pt) m Spanish: quincunce (es) m

angle of five-twelfths of a circle

German: Quinkunx (de) Spanish: quincuncio m

coin — see coin

Further reading

• quincunx on Wikipedia.Wikipedia