άμπακας

Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

From άμπακος with a metaplasm of the ending to -ας (-as). A twice-borrowed word: inherited from Medieval Byzantine Greek ἄμπακος (ámpakos, “a plate with sand for writing at school”), from Italian abaco (“abacus”), from Latin abacus, from Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax).[1][2]
The sense "voracious, large quantity" from "he knows a lot, from using the abacus".

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈa.ba.kas/ (the ⟨μπ⟩ pronounced [b] as in Italian)
  • Hyphenation: ά‧μπα‧κας

Noun

άμπακας • (ámpakas) m (plural άμπακες) usually in the singular

  1. (figuratively) a lot, large quantity mainly used in the phrase:
    τρώει τον άμπακα ― tróei ton ámpaka ― (s)he ate too much, s(he) is voracious
    see also: περίδρομος (perídromos)
  2. (obsolete sense, historical sense) abacus, as in the Medieval ἄμπακος, άβακας (ávakas)[3]

Declension
declension of άμπακας
case     \     number singular plural
nominative άμπακας • άμπακες •
genitive άμπακα • άμπακων •
accusative άμπακα • άμπακες •
vocative άμπακα • άμπακες •
Rare plural, especially genitive plural, with persitent accent as in foreign words (also found with recessive accent, αμπάκων).
  • see: άβακας m (ávakas, “abacus; calculation chart”)

References
  1. "άμπακος" - Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), “άμπακας”, in Etymologikó lexikó tis néas ellinikís glóssas [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek] (in Greek), Athens: Lexicology Centre
  2. άμπακας - Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], 1998, by the "Triantafyllidis" Foundation.
  3. άμπακος - Georgakas, Demetrius, 1908-1990 (1960-2009) A Modern Greek-English Dictionary [MGED online, 2009. letter α only], Centre for the Greek language

Further reading
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