accubation

English

Etymology

Latin accubatio, accubitio, from accubāre (“to recline”), from ad- + cubāre (“to lie down”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˌɑ.kju.'beɪ.ʃən/
• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

accubation (uncountable)

1. The act or posture of reclining on a couch, as practiced by the ancients at meals.
   • 1902, Journal of Biblical literature, volume 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.

Related terms

• accumb
• accumbent

Translations

the act or posture of reclining on a couch

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Translations to be checked

• French: accubation (fr)
• Latin: accubatio (la)