Obsus, obsidian, ar./semitic ḥabasha.
However Abyssinia could be from the Greek a- (for negation) + byssos (depth), denoting a land in the far deep (south).
If Abyssinia's chief ancient export was from the Obsus, then it would indicate the whole country got its name from it.
###
... Read more
Showing posts with label etymology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label etymology. Show all posts
15 June 2014
07 June 2014
29 May 2014
10 July 2010
etymo note: olive, oleum, زيت , زيتون
30.vii.1431
the word for olive in arabic and european languages has a relation to that for oil.
thus on one hand we have (zayt, zaytoun) for oil and olive respectively in arabic; and on the other in european language we have ἐλαίϝα ἔλαιον olea oleum olive.
the original usage for ἔλαιον and olea was to designate olive oil per se.
it therefore seems that the name for olive predates the name of oil.
thus on one hand we have (zayt, zaytoun) for oil and olive respectively in arabic; and on the other in european language we have ἐλαίϝα ἔλαιον olea oleum olive.
the original usage for ἔλαιον and olea was to designate olive oil per se.
it therefore seems that the name for olive predates the name of oil.
etymo note: camera قمرة
30.vii.1431
قمرة (qamarah) means chamber or room, particularly chambers on a ship. Conjecture is that is it related to camera and hence chambre the same way "magazine" is related to مخزن (makhzan).
###
###
