obol
Definition
- Noun:
- Ancient Greek coin: "obol" refers to a small silver coin used in ancient Greece, worth one-sixth of a drachma.
- Unit of weight: In ancient Greece, an "obol" was also a unit of weight equal to about 0.72 grams.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- He paid the ferryman with a single obol for passage to the underworld. (A small ancient Greek coin used as payment.)
- The merchant measured out an obol of silver for the transaction. (A unit of weight for precious metal.)
Advanced Usage
- "Charon's obol": a coin placed in or on the mouth of a dead person as payment to Charon, the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology.
- Archaeologists found a bronze obol in the tomb, likely intended as Charon's obol. (A coin placed for the deceased's journey to the afterlife.)
Variants and Related Words
- Obolos (n): an alternative spelling of "obol," often used in historical texts.
- The obolos was a common coin in ancient Athens. (Same as obol, referring to the coin.)
Synonyms
- Coin: a small, flat, round piece of metal used as money.
- Drachma: a larger ancient Greek coin (six obols equal one drachma).
Related Idioms
- Not an obol to one's name: having no money at all.
- After the war, he had not an obol to his name. (He was completely destitute.)