English

Alternative forms

• ægis, egis

Noun

aegis ‎(plural aegises or aegides)

1. A mythological shield associated with Zeus and Athena shown as a short cloak consisting of a goatskin. The aegis of Athena is usually shown with a border of snakes and with the head of Medusa in the center. The aegis is more an emblem of protection and power than an actual military shield.
2. Protection, guidance. Usually used as ‘under the aegis’ because of its origin as protection of the shield of Athena.
3. Endorsement.
4. Sponsorship.

Synonyms

• auspices
• patronage
• protection

Translations

Related terms

• Aegis cruiser

Latin

Alternative forms

• ægis

Etymology

From the Ancient Greek αἰγῐ́ς ‎(aigís).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈae̯.ɡis/, [ˈae̯.ɡɪs]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈɛ.d͡ʒis/, [ˈɛː.d͡ʒis]

Noun

aegis f ‎(genitive aegidos or aegidis); third declension

1. the aegis
   1. of Zeus or Jupiter
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Virgil to this entry?)
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Silius Italicus to this entry?)
   2. of Athena or Minerva
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Virgil to this entry?)
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Horace to this entry?)
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Ovid to this entry?)
2. (transferred senses):
   1. a shield, a defence
      1. (in the writings of Ovid) the jewelry by which maidens try to conceal their ugliness
         • (Can we find and add a quotation of Ovid to this entry?)
   2. the heartwood of the larch
      • (Can we find and add a quotation of Pliny the Elder to this entry?)

Declension

Derived terms

• aegisonus

Related terms

Descendants

References

• aegis in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• aegis in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “ægis”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette, page 72/1.
• aegis in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia
• aegis in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• aegis in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
• “aegis” on page 63/1 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)