Standard Lemma guide

duodecade

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A period of twelve years.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Each Chinese New Year during a "Jupiter return"—when a duodecade has passed and the Chinese zodiac animal of your birth year comes back around—it is expected that you find some red underwear to put on for the special occasion.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A period of two decades, a period of 20 years.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: nonstandard

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin duodecas (“twelve”), from Ancient Greek δυωδεκάς (duōdekás, “twelve”). Equivalent to duodec- + -ade.

From duo- + decade.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: duodécennie — Translations
  • Latin: duodecennium — Translations