noun

solidus

Solidus (noun) means Various medieval and early modern coins or units of account.

noun

Various medieval and early modern coins or units of account

A Roman ~23k gold coin introduced by Diocletian in AD 301 and called by that name, but reissued at a slightly lower weight by Constantine I.

Its successor Byzantine coins, from the eleventh century onward of progressively debased weight and purity.

Synonym of sol or sou: a Carolingian unit of account equivalent to a solidus of silver.

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Etymology

From Middle English solidus, from classical Latin solidus (“solid”), see below. Doublet of sol, sold, soldo, solid, sou, and xu. In numismatic and weight senses, via medieval Latin solidus (“various coins”), from Late Latin solidus (“a gold coin of the Roman Empire”). In chemical sense, via German Solidus, coined by H.W.B. Roozeboom in his 1899 Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, Stöchiometrie, und Verwandtschaftslehre (XXX, page 387). In typography, from the shilling mark originally being an abbreviation (a long s ⟨ſ⟩), of Medieval Latin solidus meaning shilling.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of solidus?

"solidus" (noun) means various medieval and early modern coins or units of account.

What are the different meanings of solidus?

"solidus" has 3 main meanings: 1. Various medieval and early modern coins or units of account; 2. A Roman ~23k gold coin introduced by Diocletian in AD 301 and called by that name, but reissued at a slightly lower weight by Constantine I; 3. Its successor Byzantine coins, from the eleventh century onward of progressively debased weight and purity.