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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that religion. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 (generally held in the hand), 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Roman type, letters, or print, collectively; -- in distinction from Italics. [ 1913 Webster ]

. The calendar of the ancient Romans, from which our modern calendars are derived. It is said to have consisted originally of ten months, Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December, having a total of 304 days. Numa added two months, Januarius at the beginning of the year, and Februarius at the end, making in all 355 days. He also ordered an intercalary month, Mercedinus, to be inserted every second year. Later the order of the months was changed so that January should come before February. Through abuse of power by the pontiffs to whose care it was committed, this calendar fell into confusion. It was replaced by the Julian calendar. In designating the days of the month, the Romans reckoned backward from three fixed points, the calends, the nones, and the ides. The calends were always the first day of the month. The ides fell on the 15th in March, May, July (Quintilis), and October, and on the 13th in other months. The nones came on the eighth day (the ninth, counting the ides) before the ides. Thus, Jan. 13 was called the ides of January, Jan. 12, the day before the ides, and Jan. 11, the third day before the ides (since the ides count as one), while Jan. 14 was the 19th day before the calends of February. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Of or pertaining to the language or dialects known as Romance. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those narrated in romances; as, his courtship, or his life, was a romance. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is real; as, a girl full of romance. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The languages, or rather the several dialects, which were originally forms of popular or vulgar Latin, and have now developed into Italian. Spanish, French, etc. (called the Romanic languages). [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental piece in ballad style; a romanza. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. a love affair, esp. one in which the lovers display their deep affection openly, by romantic gestures. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Fable; novel; fiction; tale. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Romanced p. pr. & vb. n. Romancing ] To write or tell romances; to indulge in extravagant stories. [ 1913 Webster ]

A very brave officer, but apt to romance. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who romances. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A romancer. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Romantic. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Romanesque style. [ 1913 Webster ]