abax

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noun

An ancient counting board containing grooves in which counters were placed; a forerunner of the abacus.

“Basic arithmetic could be done with an abax.”

OriginAncient Greek ἄβαξ →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounabax (plural not attested)
  1. no pluralAn ancient counting board containing grooves in which counters were placed; a forerunner of the abacus.

    Basic arithmetic could be done with an abax.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἄβαξ“board covered with sand”
  2. Englishabax

From Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax, “board covered with sand”). Doublet of abacus and abaque.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἄβαξ
  • ἄβαξ (ábax)ancient counting board
Greek άβακας
  • άβακας (ávakas)ancient counting board

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Baxa
Cite this entry
APA

abax. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abax

MLA

“abax.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abax. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abax,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abax.

Source: abax on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.