octarius
English
Alternative forms
Anagrams
Latin
Etymology
From oct- (as in octō (“eight”) and octāvus (“eighth”)) + -ārius (adjective-forming suffix), due to it being an eighth part of a gallon. Likely modeled after sextārius, from sextus (“sixth”), used in Classical Latin as the name of a unit of volume (the sester) equivalent to a sixth of a Latin congius; compare also quārtārius, another volume measure in Ancient Roman units of measurement. However, strict analogy with sextārius would have required the use of the form octāvārius instead.
Noun
octārius m (genitive octāriī); second declension
- (New Latin) the pint (eighth of a gallon) in the English apothecaries' system
- 1809, Pharmacopoeia Collegii regalis medicorum Londinensis M.DCCC.IX. :[1][2]
- Mensura etiam liquidorum dispar est, alia cerevisiae, alia vino propria; posteriorem nos adhibemus, mensurisque liquidorum utimur ex congio vinario deductis. Congius vinarius legibus regni definitus est, quem ad usus medicinales sic dispertimus: videlicet,
Congius } habet { Octarios octo, O
Octarius } habet { Fluiduncias sedecim, f℥
Fluiduncia } habet { Fluidrachmas octo, fʒ
Fluidrachma } habet { Minima sexaginta, ♏︎
Notas apposuimus, quibus quamque mensuram designamus.
Ne quis error nascatur ex nominibus, quae ponderibus et mensuris nullo discrimine imposita sunt, nova quaedam finximus non inconsultè, quae brevis usus reddet facilia.- 1815 translation by Richard Powell
- The measures of liquids also differ, one being used for beer, and another for wine; we adopt the latter, and employ for liquids, measures which are derived from the wine gallon. The wine gallon is defined by the statutes of the realm, and we divide it for medical purposes in the following manner, viz.
The gallon Cong. } contains { eight pints O
The pint } contains { sixteen fluidounces ƒ℥
The fluidounce } contains { eight fluidrachms ƒʒ
The fluidrachm } contains { sixty minims ♏︎
We have added the signs by which we denote the several measures.
That no error may arise from the indiscriminate use of the same terms to express both weights and measures, we have, after due consideration, devised certain new ones, which use will in a short time render easy.
- The measures of liquids also differ, one being used for beer, and another for wine; we adopt the latter, and employ for liquids, measures which are derived from the wine gallon. The wine gallon is defined by the statutes of the realm, and we divide it for medical purposes in the following manner, viz.
- 1815 translation by Richard Powell
- Mensura etiam liquidorum dispar est, alia cerevisiae, alia vino propria; posteriorem nos adhibemus, mensurisque liquidorum utimur ex congio vinario deductis. Congius vinarius legibus regni definitus est, quem ad usus medicinales sic dispertimus: videlicet,
- 1836, Pharmacopoeia Collegii Regalis Medicorum Londinensis, London, page 56:
- ℞ Ammoniae Hydrochloratis uncias decem, Calcis uncias octo, Aquae octarios duos; Calcem aquâ resolutam in retortam mitte, dein Ammoniae Hydrochloratem in frustula contritam et reliquam Aquam adjice. Destillent Liquoris Ammoniae fluidunciae quindecim
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 1878, Frederic Henry Gerrish, Prescription Writing. Designed for the Use of Medical Students who Have Never Studied Latin (overall work in English), Portland, ME.: Loring, Short and Harmon, page 35:
- If we ordered pills by the pound or pint, we should then be obliged to put their name in the genitive; as, for example, as follows: R. Pilularum Catharticarum Compositarum octarium unum; that is, Take one pint of Compound Cathartic Pills.
Usage notes
Used by pharmacists in the United Kingdom and United States of America from the 19th through the 20th century. Aside from ⟨octarius⟩,[2][3][4][5][6] the form ⟨octavius⟩[7][8][9] (not to be confused with the previously existing proper noun Octavius) came to be used with the same meaning; the latter may have originated as a misspelling or misreading of the former as they differ in only one letter and cursive minuscule r resembles v. The form octāvius may have been alternatively derived (or reinterpreted as being derived) from octāvus (“eighth”) + -ius (adjective-forming suffix).
Declension
Second-declension noun.
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | octārius | octāriī |
| Genitive | octāriī | octāriōrum |
| Dative | octāriō | octāriīs |
| Accusative | octārium | octāriōs |
| Ablative | octāriō | octāriīs |
| Vocative | octārie | octāriī |
References
- Pharmacopoeia Collegii regalis medicorum Londinensis, London, 1809, page 2
- Richard Powell, transl. (1815), The Pharmacopoeia of the Royal College of Physicians of London, M.DCCC.IX. Translated into English, with notes, &c., 3rd edition, page 6:
- Similar Latin terms and characters have been heretofore used to express the weights of solids and the measures of liquids, and thus very different quantities have, in fact, been expressed by the same name; an error which became more evident when it was proposed to extend it still farther, and to call the least division of liquids by the name of a grain. This similarity has been a source of complaint from the time of Galen (De compos. Medicam. 1. 6, 98), and, on adopting more minute divisions of liquids, the College resolved also to assume certain arbitrary terms which may distinguish between them and the weights of solids; and in those taken, they have, with respect to measures of ounce and drachm, which are in most common use, been anxious to do as little violence as possible to established habits, consistent with the distinction at which they have aimed; and which they have also upon the same principles extended to the signs by which such measures may be designated. In our own language the term pint is sufficiently distinct from pound, and may still be retained as a translation of octarius.
- Dunglison, Robley (1844) The Medical Student; Or, Aids to the Study of Medicine, Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard, page 145:
- The measures of capacity in use with the apothecary are sufficiently simple. Formerly, libra was used for the pint, and the symbol ℔ was adopted to express both a pound by weight, and a pint by measure. Different liquids, however, are of different specific gravity, and therefore, the London College of Physicians suggested the term octarius and the symbol O for the pint—libra being restricted to the pound of weight.
- Hare, Hobart Amory, Chrystie, Walter, editors (1891), A System of Practical Therapeutics, Philadelphia: Lea Brothers and Company, →LCCN, page 57
- Thornton, Edward Quin (1911) A Manual of Materia Medica for Medical Students, Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger, →LCCN, page 60
- Edwards, H. Milne, Vavasseur, P. (1826) Manuel de matière médicale ou description abrégée des médicamens..., Paris, page XCV: “1 pint, octarius”
- Edwards, H.M., Vavasseur, P. (1831) John Davies, transl., A manual of materia medica and pharmacy, from the French of H.M. Edwards and P. Vavasseur, corrected and adapted to British practice by John Davies, London: Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, →LCCN, page 27
- Bastedo, Walter Arthur (1918) Materia Medica: Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Prescription Writing for Students and Practitioners, 2nd edition, Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, →LCCN, page 582
- Barr, William Miller (1918) Industrial engineering: a handbook of useful information for managers, engineers, superintendents, designers, draftsmen and other engaged in constructive work, Part 1, New York City: W.M. Barr Company, →LCCN, page 43
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