sēmis (noun M) : (in Vitr., Front., and Pall. , e.g. duo semis pedes, Pall. Febr. 9, 10:
* Duobus semis pedibus,id. Jan. 10, 3; 13, 7: diametros octo semis,Vitr. 4, 1: passuum milium et semis,Front. Aquaed. 7; cf.: habere duos et semis cubitos,Vulg. Exod. 25, 10 al.), m.cf. semi-; Gr. ἡμι-, ἥμισυ, a half, half-unity, a semi-unit (v. as, I.).
* In gen. (very rare for the usual dimidium): sex domini semissem Africae possidebant,Plin. 18, 6, 7, § 35: patrimonii,Dig. 36, 1, 78, § 7: e libertorum defunctorum bonis,Suet. Ner. 32: cum alter semissem, alter universa fratre excluso (sibi vindicaret),Quint. 7, 1, 62: panem semissem ponebat supra torum,Petr. 64, 6.
* In partic. (freq. and class.).
* As a coin
* Half an as, a semi-as, Varr. L. L. 5, § 171 Müll.; cf. Prisc. p. 708 P.; Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 44: lex frumentaria de semissibus et trientibus,Auct. Her. 1, 12, 21; Cic. Sest. 25, 55; Liv. Epit. 60; Ascon. ap. Cic. Pis. 4, p. 9 Orell.; hence, non semissis homo, not worth a groat, i. e. good for nothing, worthless, Vatin. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 10 a, 1: quid fit! Semis,Hor. A. P. 330.
* As a rate of interest, one half per cent. a month, or, acc. to our mode of computation, six per cent. a year (cf.: bes, triens, etc.): semissibus magna copia (pecuniae) est,Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 2: usura multiplicata semissibus,Plin. 14, 4, 6, § 56: usura semissium,Col. 3, 3, 9 sq.; for which also, reversely: semisses usurarum,id. 3, 3, 9; and in apposition: semisses usuras promisit,Dig. 22, 1, 13; 22, 45, 134; 46, 3, 102 fin.
* As a measure of dimension.
* Half a juger of land: bina jugera et semisses agri assignati,Liv. 6, 16 fin.; cf. Col. 5, 1, 11; Plin. 18, 19, 49, § 178.
* Among mathematicians, the number three, Vitr. 3, 1, 6; cf. as fin.
* Half a cubit: cubitum ac semissem,Vulg. Exod. 25, 17.