κᾱραβος

κά̄ραβος

Grammatical information: m.

Meaning: 1. `a prickly crustacean' (Epich., Ar., Arist.; cf. Thompson Fishes s. v.), metaph. a light canoo (EM); 2. `a horned beetle' (Arist.).

Other forms: σκορόβυλος κάνθαρος H.

Derivatives: καραβίς `kind of sea-crab' (Gal., Sch.), καράβιον = ἐφόλκιον (H. s. ἐφόλκια, sch.); prob. also καραβαία δίκρουν ξύλον H. (s. Grošelj Razprave 2, 11). - Beside it κηραφίς = καραβίς (Nic. Al. 394) (sec. after the names in -φ(ο)-; and epic language imitating η for α?).

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]

Etymology: Unknown; cf. Cohen BSL 27 (1927) 100, wo gives several similar Arabic words. Acc. to Bq s. v. -βος un-Greek (Macedonian) for Gr. -φος \< IE. -bho-. Fur. (index s.v.) connects several words; first there is καρβάρεοι κάραβοι; then there is a prenasalized form καράμβιος (Ar. Byz. Epit. 9, 11; v.l. Arist. HA 551^b17), and κεράμβυξ s.v. (Nic. Fr. 39, H.) and κεράμβηλον Η. (-ηλο- is well known from Pre-Greek), which cannot be derived from κέρας (as Frisk suggests). He further posits *σκαραβαῖος on the basis of Lat. scarabaeus, which seems unavoidable. The form σκορόβυλος no doubt continues *σκαραβ-υλ-, where the α's turned to -ο- before the -υ- in the following syllable (Fur. 340 discusses the phenomenon, but did not see that it operated here); so here we have evidence for σκαραβ. Then there is γραψαῖος (Diph. Siph. ap. Ath. 3, 106d) = κάραβος, which he assumes to stand for *γαρψαῖος (doubtful, s.v.). Further s. on σκορπίος (which in my view does not belong here). It is clear that we have here a Pre-Greek word with several of its usual variants. So we have *(s)karab-. - From κάραβος Lat. cārabus `crab', `small boat' (with Rom., e. g. Fr. caravelle) and a Slavic word for `ship', e. g. Russ. koráblь; s. Vasmer Russ. et. Wb. s. v. with lit. and crit.

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