Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word κύβος. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word κύβος, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say κύβος in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word κύβος you have here. The definition of the word κύβος will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofκύβος, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Ancient Greek
Etymology
Difficult to trace. The word passed to and from a number of languages (compare Latincubus(“mass, quantity; cube”)).
Often thought to be derived from the root Proto-Indo-European*kewbh₂-(“to lie down (actively)”), reconstructed in LIV based on Latincubō(“to lie down (passively)”) and some other verb forms. Compare Proto-Germanic*hupiz(“hip”) and Latincubitus(“elbow”), and (formally unrelated) Ancient Greekἀστράγαλος(astrágalos, “astragalus bone, knucklebone; dice (made from a knucklebone)”) for the semantic connection between “vertebra, bone (of an animal)” and “die, dice”. Animal bones were historically used as playing dice.
According to Beekes, words for dice are often loans and the Lydians claimed to have invented the game of κύβος(kúbos), suggesting a possible loan from Lydian.[1]
Appears to have no relation to Arabic كَعْبَة(kaʕba).
But finally, with a sort of passion, as if abandoning calculation and casting himself upon the future, and uttering the phrase with which men usually prelude their plunge into desperate and daring fortunes, “Let the die be cast,” he hastened to cross the river; and going at full speed now for the rest of the time, before daybreak he dashed into Ariminum and took possession of it.