accubation

English

Etymology

From Latin accubatiō, accubitiō, from accubō (“to recline”), from ad- + cubō (“to lie down”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɑ.kju.ˈbeɪ.ʃən/
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

accubation (uncountable)

Accubation.

1. The act or posture of reclining on a couch, as practiced by the ancients at meals.
   • 1902, Journal of Biblical literature‎^[1], volumes 21-22, page 64:

     Accubation was introduced in Rome after the first Punic War (264-241 BC). In Greece accubation was unknown at the time of the Homeric poems (cf. Od. i. 145 ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε, XV. 134 ἑζέσθην δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἔπειτα κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε), but afterwards the Greeks and Romans adopted this Oriental fashion and lay very nearly flat on their breasts while taking their meals, or in a semi-sitting posture supported on the left elbow.

   • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:

     Accubation, or lying down at meals, was a gesture used by very many Nations.

Related terms

• accumb
• accumbent

Translations

the act or posture of reclining on a couch

• German: Akkubation f, Akkubition f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} accubation
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} accubatio