English

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Alternative forms

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  • Dei Majores, Di Majoresdi and dei are both acceptable forms in Latin for 'gods'. ("Dii" itself is a respelling of "di", indicating the length of the vowel by geminatio vocalium.) Also Dii majores, dii majores with varying capitalization, and with maiores following current Latin spelling.

Etymology

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From Latin di maiores (literally greater gods).

Noun

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Dii Majores (uncountable) pl

  1. (Roman mythology) The twelve great gods of Roman mythology, namely Juno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Vulcan, and Apollo.
  2. By extension, any illustrious or eminent group of people, not necessarily twelve in number; most frequently applied to writers of literature.
    the twelve Di Majores of Latin letters