scyphate

S1C3Y4P3H4A1T1E1

adjective

Concave or cup-shaped.

Scrabble 18

Meanings

adjectivescyphate (comparative more scyphate, superlative most scyphate)

comparative more scyphate · superlative most scyphate

  1. Concave or cup-shaped.

    In the later reigns, a coinage of small bronze pieces, slightly scyphate, accompany the aspers.

    1967 August 6, Frank Graham, “Coin Corner”, in The Press Democrat, 110th year, number 247, Santa Rosa, Calif.
    2 more examples

    The curious seal, now for the first time published, presents an example of the scyphate, or dished form, which is of rare occurrence.

    1856, W. S. W., A. W., “Examples of Mediæval Seals”, in The Archaeological Journal, volume XIII, London, page 64

    Further, atleast^([sic]) some of the coins are slightly scyphate also. However, it is not certain whether these were intentionally made scyphate or the shape was simply a result of punching process or the wooden anvil having become slightly scyphate due to repeated use.

    2012, Numismatic Digest, Numismatic Society of Bombay, page 7
nounscyphate (plural scyphates)

plural scyphates

  1. A concave or cup-shaped coin.

    In a light copper series of issues belonging to Peroz C and Peroz D, the imagery closely imitates that of the scyphates.

    1985, Museum Notes, American Numismatic Society, →ISBN, page 240
    2 more examples

    The hoard from Tepe Maranjan near Kabul (Curiel, 1953: 101–131) containing 368 Sasanian silver drachms—326 of Shapur II, 28 of Ardeshir II and 14 of Shapur III (a.d. 383–388) with 12 gold Kushano-Sasanian scyphates, provides important evidence for the previous metal currency of eastern Afghanistan, the dating of the Kushano-Sasanian gold coinage and the chronology of Kidara who became king of the southern Kushan provinces.

    1978, Frank Raymond Allchin, Norman Hammond, The Archaeology of Afghanistan from Earliest Times to the Timurid Period, Academic Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 251

    Since the radiate sun god appears in the Pahlavi series of KS coins, in one instance seemingly combined with attributes of Śiva, it is probable that the Bactrian uncial inscribed scyphates show a deity who combines Śiva (Oesho) with the sun god (Mithra, Miiro, Mihira).

    1981, Monumentum Georg Morgenstierne, Leiden: E.J. Brill, page 96

Origin

  1. Arabicشَفَة“edge, rim”
  2. Latinscyphātus
  3. Englishscyphate

From Latin scyphātus, erroneously interpreted as scyphus (“cup, goblet”) + -ātus; in reality, probably derives from Arabic شَفَة (šafa, “edge, rim”), and refers to the distinctive and conspicuous border of the early histamena gold coins.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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