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criobolium

noun cri·o·bo·li·um \ ˌkrīəˈbōlēəm \
variants: or less commonly crioboly \krīˈäbəlē\

Definition of criobolium

plural criobolia \-lēə\ also criobolies
: a ceremony in the cult of certain Mediterranean deities (as Cybele and Attis) in which a ram was sacrificed so that the blood fell on the devotee — compare taurobolium

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Origin and Etymology of criobolium

Late Latin criobolium, from Late Greek kriobolion, from Greek krios ram + -bolion (from Greek ballein to throw); akin to Latin cornu horn

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