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triv·i·um

(trĭvē-əm)

n. pl. triv·i·a (-ē-ə)

The lower division of the seven liberal arts in medieval schools, consisting of grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

[Medieval Latin, from Latin, crossroads : tri-, tri- + via, road; see wegh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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