Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CA-BIR'I-AN, or CA-BIR'IC, a. [or CAB-I-RIT'IC; Oriental גבר, to be strong or powerful, to be great; whence it signifies man, a lord, and in some languages a giant. It is common to all the Shemitic dialects. Perhaps L. vir, with a prefix.]

Pertaining to the Cabiri, certain deities greatly venerated by the ancient Pagans in Greece and Phenicia. The accounts of these deities are confused and contradictory. Some authors limit their number to four; some to three; others to two; while Sanchoniathon makes them to be eight. They were worshiped with particular honors in the isle of Samonthrace; and their worship and mysteries are said to have been introduced into Greece by the Pelasgians. They were supposed to have a particular influence over the sea and maritime affairs. In truth, the name, which signifies great, or the mighty ones, seems to have been applied to the supposed beings that presided over the more striking operations of nature. – Herod. ii, 51. Paus. ix, 25. Bryant. Faber. Asiat. Researches.