cambion

English

Etymology

From Late Latin cambio (“I exchange”). Doublet of change.

Noun

cambion (plural cambions)

1. (folklore) The half-demon offspring of either an incubus and a female human or a succubus and a male human.

Translations

Translations

• French: cambion (fr) m
• Japanese: カンビオン
• Polish: kambion
• Spanish: cambión (es) m

Gaulish

Etymology

A derivative of Proto-Celtic *kambos (“bent, crooked”).

Adjective

cambion (accusative singular)

1. bent, crooked

Noun

cambion n

1. deformation
2. change

Usage notes

The main attestation of the Gaulish word appears in a phrase reguccambion in the Chamalières tablet. It is usually interpreted as reguc cambion, the first word being seen as a verb from *regeti (“to straighten, rule”). With this come the following interpretations:

• "and I straighten the bent/crooked" (Henry, Schmidt, Mees)
• "and I right the wrong" (Koch)
• "and I direct the change" (Fleuriot)

Lambert instead believes reguccambion is a compound with the first element being cognate to Middle Irish rig (“forearm”), and the second element would mean "deformation".

Descendants

• → Latin: cambium (see there for further descendants)