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Glite Dictionary
⚖️ A Greek unit 🪙 A Greek coin 💸 A tiny amount
obol

obol

1 9.9
A small ancient Greek coin placed with the dead to pay a boatman for passage to the afterlife
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊbəl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : óbolo
  • He paid the ferryman with an obol as part of the ancient burial tradition.

Examples

  • Collectors often seek out the obol for its historical significance.

  • He placed an obol with the body for Charon.

  • The museum displayed a rare obol from the fifth century BCE.

  • In ancient Greece, many believed an obol was necessary for the dead.

  • The family placed an obol in the mouth of the deceased for safe passage to the afterlife.

  • In ancient Greece, an obol was often buried with the dead as a fee for Charon's ferry.

  • During the ceremony, they added an obol to the grave, honoring the tradition of providing for the departed.

Synonyms

obolus
vsobol
  • Archaic
9.9

A small ancient Greek silver coin used for everyday purchases

is often placed with the dead as payment for passage to the afterlife

Surface Forms

obol singular
obols plural

Etymology

Obol comes from the old Greek word obolos, which meant 'a small metal rod' used as a coin, and people often put an obol with the dead as payment to the ferryman for the afterlife, so the name is tied to that burial payment.