different between forerunner vs abax

English

Etymology

From Middle English forrenner, foreriner. Calque of Latin praecursor (“one who runs before, a forerunner”). Equivalent to fore- +? runner and/or forerun +? -er.

Noun

forerunner (plural forerunners)

1. A runner at the front or ahead.
2. (sports) By extension, a non-competitor who leads out the competitors on to the circuit, or who runs/rides the course prior to competitor trials, usually testing or checking the way.
3. A precursor or harbinger, a warning ahead.
4. A forebear, an ancestor, a predecessor.

   Bakelite is a forerunner of today's plastics.

5. (philately) A postage stamp used in the time before a region or area issues stamps of its own.

Translations

References

• Middle English Dictionary

English

Etymology

Ancient Greek ???? (ábax, “board covered with sand”). Doublet of abacus and abaque.

Noun

abax (plural not attested)

1. An ancient counting board containing grooves in which counters were placed; a forerunner of the abacus.

   Basic arithmetic could be done with an abax.

Translations

Anagrams

• Baxa

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?a.baks/, [?äbäks?]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?a.baks/, [???b?ks]

Noun

abax m (genitive abacis); third declension

1. Alternative form of abacus

Declension

Third-declension noun.

References

• abax in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• abax in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette