Quiz: Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #39

The riddle below dates back to 1875—can you figure it out?
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The American Sphinx was a compendium of puzzles and riddles published in New York in 1875. Containing over 150 “enigmas, anagrams, charades” and a great many more word and number games (as outlined in its fairly lengthy subtitle), the book contained some remarkably fiendish brainteasers—including the logic puzzle below.

To solve it, you’ll not only need to get your head around what it implies, but also (here’s a hint) have a fairly decent knowledge of Roman numerals. Can you figure out what word is being described?

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