Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Rhombus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

RHOM'BUS (ῥόμβος). Originally signified the spindle (fusus) with which women spun their thread (Schol. ad Apoll. Argon. i. 1139.); a vertical section of which, when covered with thread, would exhibit the figure termed a rhomboid by mathematicians, as will be seen by the centre figure in the illustration s. FUSUS. This meaning subsequently obtained to the complete exclusion, of the primary notion; though a very distinct allusion to that is contained in one of the common applications of the word both by the Greek and Latin writers, who make use of it to designate a sort of reel or whorl employed in enchantment. Ov. Am. i. 8. 7. Prop. iii. 6. 26.