ων (οἱ) Kabires, n. de trois, ou, sel. d’autres, quatre fils d’Hèphæstos, honorés à Samothrace, Lemnos et Imbros, HDT. 2, 51 ; PLUT. Marc. 30, etc.

Étym. pré-grec.

οἱ, the Cabeiri, divinities worshipped especially in Lemnos, Samothrace, and Boeotia, Pi. Fr. 74b Schr., Hdt. 2.51, 3.37, Str. 10.3.15, etc. ; at Miletus, Nic.Dam. 52J., Milet. (v. infr.), BCH 1.288; title of play by Aeschylus, Ath. 10.428f, Sch. Pi. P. 4.303; sg., Κάβειρος Pi. l.c. ; freq. in Boeotian Inscrr. (written Κάβιροι), IG 7.2457, al., cf. AP 6.245 (Diod.), Q.S. 1.267; Καβειρίδες Νύμφαι, and Καβειρώ, ἡ, the sisters and mother of the Cabeiri, Acus. 20J., Pherecyd. 48 J. ; — Adj. Καβειρικός, ή, όν, fem. Καβειριάς, άδος, Cabeiric, St.Byz. ; — also Καβειραῖος, α, ον, Id., Paus. 9.25.8; Καβειρία, ἡ, epith. of Demeter at Κάβειροι, Id. 9.25.5 codd. ; Καβείριον, τό, sanctuary of the C., Id. 9.26.2; more correctly Καβείρ[ε]ιον IG 11(2).144 A 90 (Delos, iv BC); Καβείρια, τά, their mysteries, Inscr.Perg. 252, Hsch. ; — hence Καβειριάζομαι, celebrate these mysteries, St.Byz. ; Καβιριάρχας, ὁ, IG 7.2428 (Boeot.); -αρχίω (= -έω), ib. 2420. (The spelling -βειρ- is correct, ib. 11 (2). l.c., Hdn. Gr. 2.411; the form -βιρ- is Boeot. (v. supr.) and late Gr., Milet. 6.26 (i AD), Alexio and Philox. ap. Et.Gud. 289.30.) (The connexion with the Semitic root KBR ΄great’ (cf. the title Μεγάλοι Θεοί) is not certain; nor is that with Skt. Kúbera- (name of a divinity), fr. *Kabera-, cf. Patron. Kāberaká-.)