Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

aegis

/ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.06 in modern English

Syllables
ae-gis
IPA
/ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/
6
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A mythological shield associated with the Greek deities Zeus and Athena (and their Roman counterparts Jupiter and Minerva) shown as a short cloak made of goatskin worn on the shoulders, more as an emblem of power and protection than a military shield. The aegis of Athena or Minerva is usually shown with a border of snakes and with the head of Medusa in the center.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin aegis, from Ancient Greek αἰγίς (aigís, “goatskin; shield of Athena”), probably from αἴξ (aíx, “goat”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyǵ- (“goat”). The plural form aegides (/ˈiːd͡ʒɪdiːz/) is borrowed from Latin aegides, from Ancient Greek αἰγῐ́δες (aigĭ́des).

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: aegis, αἰγίς, *h₂eyǵ-, aegides, αἰγῐ́δες

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/
  • British English: /ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce aegis?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/.
What does aegis mean?
A mythological shield associated with the Greek deities Zeus and Athena (and their Roman counterparts Jupiter and Minerva) shown as a short cloak made of goatskin worn on the shoulders, more as an emblem of power and protection than a military shield. The aegis of Athena or Minerva is usually shown with a border of snakes and with the head of Medusa in the center.
Where does aegis come from?
It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce aegis

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “aegis”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈiːd͡ʒɪs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “aegis”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “aegis” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.