The ancient explanation as "sapless", with ἀ- (a-, without) + λιβάς (libás, “spring, fount, source”) is based on popular etymology. Kretschmer connected it with Etruscan 𐌋𐌖𐌐𐌖 (lupu, “(he) died”) and Latin Libitina, which is possible but uncertain. The deviant shape of the word, as well as forms like ὀκρίβας (okríbas), κιλλίβας (killíbas), λυκάβας (lukábas) and Κορύβαντες (Korúbantes), clearly point to a Pre-Greek origin.
ἀλῐ́βᾱς • (alíbās) m (genitive ἀλῐ́βᾰντος); third declension
| Case / # | Singular | Dual | Plural | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ὁ ἀλῐ́βᾱς ho alíbās |
τὼ ἀλῐ́βᾰντε tṑ alíbante |
οἱ ἀλῐ́βᾰντες hoi alíbantes | ||||||||||
| Genitive | τοῦ ἀλῐ́βᾰντος toû alíbantos |
τοῖν ἀλῐβᾰ́ντοιν toîn alibántoin |
τῶν ἀλῐβᾰ́ντων tôn alibántōn | ||||||||||
| Dative | τῷ ἀλῐ́βᾰντῐ tôi alíbanti |
τοῖν ἀλῐβᾰ́ντοιν toîn alibántoin |
τοῖς ἀλῐ́βᾱσῐ / ἀλῐ́βᾱσῐν toîs alíbāsi(n) | ||||||||||
| Accusative | τὸν ἀλῐ́βᾰντᾰ tòn alíbanta |
τὼ ἀλῐ́βᾰντε tṑ alíbante |
τοὺς ἀλῐ́βᾰντᾰς toùs alíbantas | ||||||||||
| Vocative | ἀλῐ́βᾰν alíban |
ἀλῐ́βᾰντε alíbante |
ἀλῐ́βᾰντες alíbantes | ||||||||||
| Notes: |
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