Inflected forms: de·cus·sat·ed, de·cus·sat·ing, de·cus·sates To cross or become crossed so as to form an X; intersect.
ADJECTIVE:
1. Intersected or crossed in the form of an X. 2.Botany Arranged on a stem in opposite pairs at right angles to those above or below, resulting in four vertical rows: decussate leaves.
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin decussre, decusst-, from decussis, the number ten, intersection of two lines (from the Romans' use of X for the numeral 10), a ten-as coin : decem, ten; see dek in Appendix I + assis, as (coin).
d
-k
s
t
, d
k
-s
in Appendix I + assis, as (coin).
