Abax
/ˈeɪ.bæks/noun
A slab, tablet, or counting board, especially in historical descriptions of the abacus.
Did you know?The Greek abax referred to a board or slab used for writing or calculation, while the Latin abacus later became associated with the bead-counting device.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄβαξ (ábax)
“A board, tablet, or slab, possibly used for writing or calculation”
Classical Latin
Latin
abacus
“A board or calculating table; later, a counting device”
Late Latin
Latin
abax
“A variant form referring to a board or table”
16th Century
English
abax
“A rare learned borrowing meaning a slab, tablet, or abacus”
Modern English
English
abax
“An uncommon term for a slab, tablet, or counting board”