Flabellum
/fləˈbɛləm/noun
A ceremonial hand fan, especially one formerly used in Christian liturgy.
Did you know?In medieval Western Christianity, a flabellum could be used during solemn ceremonies, while surviving ancient examples also reveal that ceremonial fans long predated Christianity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰleh₁-
“To blow or swell with air”
Classical Latin
Latin
flāre
“To blow, breathe, or produce air”
Classical Latin
Latin
flābrum
“A fan or instrument for producing moving air”
Classical Latin
Latin
flabellum
“A little fan; the diminutive form of flābrum”
Late Antiquity
Latin
flabellum
“A ceremonial fan used in religious or formal settings”
Modern English
English
flabellum
“A ceremonial hand fan, especially one associated with Christian liturgy”