A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Dodrans,-antis (s.m.III), abl. sg. dodrante: “nine twelfths or three fourths of anything; especially a) as a measure of length, nine inches, and b) as a measure of time, three quarters of an hour” (Lewis & Short); “nine inches, or the space between the thumb and the little finger separated as widely as possible” (Lindley); ca. 24 cm.; three-quarters; distance between tips of thumb and little finger when extended, 9 inches, approx. 24 cm;

- solvere dodrantem, to dissolve three fourths (in size).

- pondere dodrante, with three-quarters weight.

NOTE: a dodra,-ae (s.f.I) was a Roman drink made up of nine ingredients. This was also called a dodralis potio (Lewis & Short).

NOTE: the noun is formulated like an participle which probably indicates some noun is understood but not stated.

NOTE: this is the Roman (and English) span: nine inches, but not the Greek, which is around 2 inches shorter: see spithama,-ae (s.f.I); see span.