Etymology thumb|300px|Extract from a 17th century version of the Key of Solomon. Note the bolino (boline) top left, artavo (athame) below it. The term athame derives, via a series of corruptions, from the late Latin artavus ("quill knife"), which is well attested in the oldest manuscripts of the Key of Solomon. It means "a small knife used for sharpening the pens of scribes" ("Cultellus acuendis calamis scriptorii"). Artavus is well-attested in medieval Latin, although it is not a common word. This explains why it was left untranslated in some French and Italian manuscripts, and ultimately became garbled in various manuscripts as artavo, artavus, arthana, artanus, arthany, or arthame. compare Latham described the etymology of artavus as being dubious, but Johannes Balbus de Janua derives it from arto, artas, etc. ("to narrow").
Etymology thumb|300px|Extract from a 17th century version of the Key of Solomon. Note the b,olino (boline) top left, artavo (athame) below it. The term athame derives, via a series of corruptions, from the late Latin artavus ("quill knife"), which is well attested in the oldest manuscripts of the Key of Solomon. It means "a small knife used for sharpening the pens of scribes" ("Cultellus acuendis calamis scriptorii"). Artavus is well-attested in medieval Latin, although it is not a common word. This explains why it was left untranslated in some French and Italian manuscripts and ultimately became garbled in various manuscripts as artavo, artavus, arthana, artanus, arthany, or arthame. compare Latham described the etymology of artavus as being dubious, but Johannes Balbus de Janua derives it from arto, artas etc. ("to narrow").