English
Pyxis
Pyxis comes from Latin pyxis ‘little box’, and goes back to Ancient Greek πῠ́ξος.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπῠ́ξοςpŭ́xos‘box tree’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπῠξῐ́ςpŭxĭ́s‘box’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpyxis‘little box’
- EnglishtodayPyxis
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπῠ́ξοςpŭ́xos‘box tree’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπῠξῐ́ςpŭxĭ́s‘box’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpyxis‘little box’
- EnglishtodayPyxis
The story
Named by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1763, and originally called Pyxis Nautica (‘nautical compass’), from Latin pyxis (‘little box’).
Linked words
through Ancient Greek πῠ́ξος ‘box tree’
Today it means
name A spring constellation of the southern sky, said to resemble the compass of a ship. It is associated with the larger Argo Navis, although it was never officially part of that constellation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek πῠ́ξος / Pyxis