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Webster 1913 Edition


Caduceus

Ca-du′ce-us

,
Noun.
[L.
caduceum
,
caduceus
; akin to Gr. [GREEK] a herald’s wand, fr. [GREEK] herald.]
(Myth.)
The official staff or wand of Hermes or Mercury, the messenger of the gods. It was originally said to be a herald's staff of olive wood, but was afterwards fabled to have two serpents coiled about it, and two wings at the top.

Webster 1828 Edition


Caduceus

CADUCEUS

,
Noun.
In antiquity, Mercurys rod; a wand entwisted by two serpents, borne by Mercury as an ensign of quality and office. On medals, the Caduceus is a symbol of good conduct, peace and prosperity. The rod represents power; the serpents, wisdom; and the two wings, diligence and activity.

Definition 2024


caduceus

caduceus

English

A caduceus

Noun

caduceus (plural caducei)

  1. The official wand carried by a herald in ancient Greece and Rome, specifically the one carried in mythology by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, usually represented with two snakes twined around it.
  2. A symbol () representing a staff with two snakes wrapped around it, used to indicate merchants and messengers, and also sometimes as a symbol of medicine.
  • For usage examples of this term, see Citations:caduceus.

See also

Translations

Anagrams


Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /kaːˈduː.ke.us/, [kaːˈduː.ke.ʊs]

Noun

cādūceus m (genitive cādūceī); second declension

  1. Alternative form of cādūceum

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative cādūceus cādūceī
genitive cādūceī cādūceōrum
dative cādūceō cādūceīs
accusative cādūceum cādūceōs
ablative cādūceō cādūceīs
vocative cādūcee cādūceī

References

  • caduceus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • caduceus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • caduceus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin