caddichus

plural caddichuses

1. historicalIn ancient Sparta, a deep basin used in a form of voting or election, particularly for membership in common messes (syssitia).

   1 more example

   Each man in the company took a little ball of soft bread, which they were to throw into a deep basin, which a waiter carried round upon his head; those that liked the person to be chosen dropped their ball into the basin without altering its figure, and those who disliked him pressed it between their fingers, and made it flat; and this signified as much as a negative voice. And if there were but one of these pieces in the basin, the suitor was rejected, so desirous were they that all the members of the company should be agreeable to each other. The basin was called caddichus, and the rejected candidate had a name thence derived.

   1847, Plutarch, translated by John Dryden, Life of Lycurgus, page 12

2. broadlyhistoricalA person rejected from membership in a Spartan common mess through the voting process that used such a basin.

   The basin was called caddichus, and the rejected candidate had a name thence derived.

   1847, Plutarch, translated by John Dryden, Life of Lycurgus, page 12