noun
- plural of praenomen; the personal names or first names given to individuals in ancient Rome
Usage: historical; Latin
Examples
- The praenomina Marcus and Gaius were extremely common in ancient Rome.
- Roman citizens typically had praenomina, nomina, and cognomina as parts of their full names.
- Scholars study praenomina to understand Roman naming conventions.
- Only a limited number of praenomina were in regular use during the Republic.
- The praenomina were often abbreviated in inscriptions and official documents.
- Women in Rome rarely used praenomina in the same way as men.