ἄβαξ Ancient Greek · revision 2290

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=5th century BC, Cratinus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /á.baks/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈa.βaks/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈa.vaks/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ᾰ̓́βᾰξ''' (ábax) ''m'' (genitive ᾰ̓́βᾰκος); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(DGE) The derivation from [[he|אָבָק|tr=ʾāḇāq|t=dust]], through a board strewn with dust for drawing, is semantically weak and rejected by Frisk, Masson and Beekes, though Kratzsch defends it.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Rosół 2013)^(Etymonline) Kuiper compared Laconian ἀμάκιον “abacus” (Hesychius); if that is right, the variation β/μ makes the word Pre-Greek.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ It was borrowed as [[la|abacus]], the source of English [[m|en|abacus]] (late 14th century).^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cratinus uses it for a trencher or serving plate.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Aristotle's ''Constitution of the Athenians'' describes the reckoning-board on which jurors' votes were counted, with as many holes as there were ballots.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE) Inscriptions from Delphi and Delos use it for a board for accounts, a wooden board and a marble offering table, and Carystius for a dice-board.^(DGE)^(LSJ 1940) Sextus Empiricus and Iamblichus mention the board strewn with sand on which geometers drew their figures.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+

+ In Latin abacus was also the slab on top of a column's capital and a marble wall panel (Vitruvius).^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE) Modern Greek uses the form [[m|el|άβακας|tr=ávakas]].^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 5th century BC – Cratinus uses it of a plate.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle describes the board for counting jurors' votes.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 2nd century BC – Carystius uses it of a dice-board.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 2nd–3rd century AD – Sextus Empiricus mentions the geometers' sand board.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Late 14th century – English ''abacus''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A slab, board; a [[m|en|sideboard]].^(LSJ 1940)^(Ammonius)

+ # A reckoning-board, [[m|en|abacus]], for counting votes or keeping accounts.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ # A board strewn with sand for drawing geometrical figures.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ # A dice-board.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A [[m|en|trencher]], serving plate.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ # A marble offering table.^(DGE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀβακίσκος|tr=abakískos]]

+ * [[ἀβάκιον|tr=abákion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|abacus]]

+ * [[en|abacus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Ammonius distinguishes ἄβαξ, a board on which things are set out, from the diminutive [[ἀβάκιον|tr=abákion]], a board for reckoning.^(Ammonius) A different ἄβαξ, “speechless, silent”, is recorded by the lexicographers.^(DGE)^(Rosół LOWAG)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}