epinetron

E1P3I1N1E1T1R1O1N1

noun

A piece of Attic pottery worn on a woman's thigh during the preparation of wool, akin to a thimble, and used as a decorative symbol for goddesses and unmarried girls.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

nounepinetron (plural epinetra)

plural epinetra

  1. historicalA piece of Attic pottery worn on a woman's thigh during the preparation of wool, akin to a thimble, and used as a decorative symbol for goddesses and unmarried girls.

    The iconography of some red-figure epinetra certainly supports an association with the wedding, one fragment (Copenhagen, National Museum 318, BAPD 10665) depicts the bride and groom in a chariot.

    2016, Sally Waite, On the Fascination of Objects: Greek and Etruscan Art in the Shefton Collection
    1 more example

    The epinetron (also called onos, although the original name is uncertain) was a semi-cylindrical object that was closed at one end and designed to fit over the thigh to aid in the production of wool.

    2012, Sharon L. James, A Companion to Women in the Ancient World

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἐπίνητρον
  2. Englishepinetron

From Ancient Greek ἐπίνητρον (epínētron).

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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