sēm-uncĭa — Lewis & Short
sēm-uncĭa, ae, f.semi; semuncia quod dimidia pars unciae,
Varr. L. L. 5, § 171 Müll.,
I a half-ounce, i. e. the twenty-fourth part of an as.
I In gen., a twenty-fourth part of any whole:
facit heredem ex deunce et semunciā Caecinam,Cic. Caecin. 6, 17:
semunciae horarum,Plin. 2, 14, 11, § 58. —Hence, transf., a trifle: bona ejus propter alieni aeris magnitudinem semunciā venierunt, for a trifling sum, qs. for a mere song, Ascon. ad Cic. Mil. fin. p. 54 Orell.— Trop.:
brevis semuncia recti,Pers. 5, 121. —
II In partic., of weight, the twentyfourth of a pound:
semuncia auri,Liv. 34, 1; Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 25, § 57:
mellis,Col. 12, 57, 5; 12, 21, 2.—As a measure of dimension, the twenty-fourth of a jugeruin, Col. 5, 1, 10; 5, 2, 4.—
B A domestic utensil of unknown capacity, Cato, R. R. 10, 3.