Priscian

views updated May 17 2018

Priscian

fl. c. a.d. 500

Byzantine grammarian whose works include a long poem concerning the Roman weights and measures. Also useful for historical purposes are his Latin grammar textbooks, which include quotes from esteemed Greek and Roman thinkers and leaders—quotes that would otherwise have been lost. Priscian's 16-book Institutiones grammaticae became a classic grammar text during the Middle Ages.

Science and Its Times: Understanding the Social Significance of Scientific Discovery

Priscian

views updated Jun 08 2018

Priscian (6th century ad), Byzantine grammarian. His Grammatical Institutions became one of the standard Latin grammatical works in the Middle Ages.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES