Abderite

English

Etymology

From Latin Abderita, Abderites, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδηρίτης (Abdērítēs).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæb.dəˌɹaɪt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

Abderite (plural Abderites)

1. An inhabitant or native of Abdera, in Thrace.

   Synonym: Abderian

   • 1814, Diodorus, chapter 4, in G. Booth, transl., The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian, volume 2, translation of original in Ancient Greek, page 27:

     To that end they entered the borders of the Abderites in another part of Thrace, and wasted and spoiled the country […]

2. (‘the Abderite’) Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher.

Usage notes

Ancient belief was that "the people of Abdera are fools and madmen" (stulti et insani Abderitae).

Derived terms

• abderite
• abderitic
• abderitism

Translations

native of Abdera, Thrace

• Finnish: abderalainen
• German: Abderit (de) m, Abderitin f
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: abderitt m

• Occitan: abderita
• Polish: abderyta (pl) m, abderytka (pl) f
• Portuguese: abderita m or f
• Swedish: abderit (sv) c

See also

• abderian

Anagrams

• ebriated, rebaited, tire bead

Latin

Noun

Abdērītē

1. ablative/vocative singular of Abdērītēs