κύβη

Ancient Greek

Etymology

No known cognates, therefore probably from Pre-Greek. Alternatively from Proto-Indo-European *kewb(ʰ)- (“to bend, bulge; protrusion, hill, bowl”) (cf. Proto-Slavic *kubъ (“bucket”), perhaps also Ancient Greek κύβος (kúbos, “hollow in the hips”)), but the presence of *b is suspicious and the semantics are distant.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

κῠ́βη • (kŭ́bē) f (indeclinable)

  1. (hapax legomenon) head

Usage notes

Cited as the etymon of κυβιστάω (kubistáō, “tumble head-first”) in the Etymologicum Magnum.

References

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