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Romage
(Rom"age) n. & v. See Rummage. [Obs.] Shak.
Romaic
(Ro*ma"ic) a. [NGr. : cf. F. romaïque. See Roman.] Of or relating to modern Greece, and
especially to its language. — n. The modern Greek language, now usually called by the Greeks Hellenic
or Neo-Hellenic.
The Greeks at the time of the capture of Constantinople were proud of being "Romai^oi, or Romans .
. . Hence the term Romaic was the name given to the popular language. . . . The Greek language is
now spoken of as the Hellenic language. Encyc. Brit.
Roman
(Ro"man) a. [L. Romanus, fr. Roma Rome: cf. F. romain. Cf. Romaic, Romance, Romantic.]
1. Of or pertaining to Rome, or the Roman people; like or characteristic of Rome, the Roman people, or
things done by Romans; as, Roman fortitude; a Roman aqueduct; Roman art.
2. Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that religion.
3. (Print.) (a) Upright; erect; — said of the letters or kind of type ordinarily used, as distinguished from
Italic characters. (b) Expressed in letters, not in figures, as I., IV., i., iv., etc.; — said of numerals, as
distinguished from the Arabic numerals, 1, 4, etc.
Roman alum (Chem.), a cubical potassium alum formerly obtained in large quantities from Italian alunite,
and highly valued by dyers on account of its freedom from iron. — Roman balance, a form of balance
nearly resembling the modern steelyard. See the Note under Balance, n., 1. — Roman candle, a
kind of firework characterized by the continued emission of shower of sparks, and the ejection, at intervals,
of brilliant balls or stars of fire which are thrown upward as they become ignited. — Roman Catholic,
of, pertaining to, or the religion of that church of which the pope is the spiritual head; as, a Roman Catholic
priest; the Roman Catholic Church. — Roman cement, a cement having the property of hardening
under water; a species of hydraulic cement. — Roman law. See under Law. — Roman nose, a
nose somewhat aquiline. — Roman ocher, a deep, rich orange color, transparent and durable, used
by artists. Ure. — Roman order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite, a., 2.
Roman
(Ro"man), n.
1. A native, or permanent resident, of Rome; a citizen of Rome, or one upon whom certain rights and
privileges of a Roman citizen were conferred.
2. Roman type, letters, or print, collectively; — in distinction from Italics.
Romance
(Ro*mance") n. [OE. romance, romant, romaunt, OF. romanz, romans, romant, roman,
F. roman, romance, fr. LL. Romanice in the Roman language, in the vulgar tongue, i. e., in the vulgar
language which sprang from Latin, the language of the Romans, and hence applied to fictitious compositions
written in this vulgar tongue; fr. L. Romanicus Roman, fr. Romanus. See Roman, and cf. Romanic,
Romaunt, Romansch, Romanza.]
1. A species of fictitious writing, originally composed in meter in the Romance dialects, and afterward in
prose, such as the tales of the court of Arthur, and of Amadis of Gaul; hence, any fictitious and wonderful
tale; a sort of novel, especially one which treats of surprising adventures usually befalling a hero or a
heroine; a tale of extravagant adventures, of love, and the like. "Romances that been royal." Chaucer.
Upon these three columns — chivalry, gallantry, and religion — repose the fictions of the Middle Ages,
especially those known as romances. These, such as we now know them, and such as display the
characteristics above mentioned, were originally metrical, and chiefly written by nations of the north of
France. Hallam.
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