nabla

Meaning

1. A Hebrew stringed instrument.
2. The symbol ∇, used to denote the gradient operator.

Synonyms

del

del operator

Etymology

From Latin nabla, from Ancient Greek νάβλα (nábla, “Phoenician harp”), from ancient Hebrew נֵבֶל (nḗḇel) or a Phoenician cognate. Doublet of nebel, which comes via the modern Hebrew נֵ֤בֶל.