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Aegis Has Greek and Latin Roots
English borrowed aegis from Latin, but the word ultimately comes from the Greek noun aigís, meaning “goatskin.” In ancient Greek mythology, an aegis was something that offered physical protection. It has been depicted in various ways, including as a magical protective cloak made from the skin of the goat that suckled Zeus as an infant, and as a shield fashioned by Hephaestus that bore the severed head of the Gorgon Medusa. The word first entered English in the 15th century as a noun referring to the shield or breastplate associated with Zeus or Athena. It later took on a more general sense of “protection” and, by the late-19th century, it had acquired the extended senses of “auspices” and “sponsorship.”
Examples of aegis in a Sentence
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 May 2025
While the office is under the aegis of the interior ministry, which is responsible for domestic security, it is designed to operate independently from the government, to insulate it from the political pressures that the AfD alleges were behind the decision.
—Christopher F. Schuetze, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Previously known as Tallinn Film Wonderland, the filming hub, under the aegis of the Estonian Film Institute, will begin construction in late 2025.
—Annika Pham, Variety, 17 May 2025
The fact that Canada would come directly under the aegis of the secretary of state suggests that the Trump administration sees the whole of the Western Hemisphere as its own.
—Margaret MacMillan, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aegis
Cite this Entry
“Aegis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aegis. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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aegis
noun
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