trivium

views updated Jun 27 2018

trivium in the Middle Ages, the lower division of the seven liberal arts (grammar, rhetoric, logic), the upper four (quadrivium; see QUADRI-) being arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. XIX. — medL. use of L. trivium place where three roads meet, f. TRI- + via way.

quadrivium

views updated Jun 11 2018

quadrivium a medieval university course involving the ‘mathematical arts’ of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music; with the trivium comprising grammar, rhetoric, and logic, these subjects formed the seven liberal arts. The name is Latin, and means literally ‘the place where four roads meet’.

trivium

views updated May 21 2018

trivium an introductory course at a medieval university involving the study of grammar, rhetoric, and logic; with the quadrivium, forming the seven liberal arts. The word comes from Latin, and means literally ‘place where three roads meet’.

quadrivium

views updated May 21 2018

quadrivium see TRIVIUM.

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