aspis
|as-pis|
/ˈæspɪs/
round shield (later also a snake name)
Etymology
'aspis' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'ἀσπίς' (aspís), where the root meant 'shield'.
'aspis' passed from Ancient Greek 'ἀσπίς' into Latin as 'aspis'; from Latin/scholarly usage it was transferred into English and into scientific Latin (appearing in species names and as a genus), and the term came also to be applied to certain snakes in later writings.
Initially it meant 'shield' in Greek, but over time the word was also used to refer to certain venomous snakes and later appeared in modern scientific names; thus its application broadened from a physical shield to zoological names.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a heavy round shield used by ancient Greek soldiers (hoplites); the classical Greek shield known as an aspis.
The hoplite raised his aspis to protect himself from the oncoming spear.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a venomous snake; historically used for certain snakes (cf. 'asp'). In scientific names it appears in species epithets such as Vipera aspis (the European asp viper).
Ancient writers sometimes claimed that the bite of an aspis was deadly.
Synonyms
Noun 3
a taxonomic or scholarly form/name (capitalized) used in classification (e.g., as a genus name in older or specific scientific usages).
In some older classifications the genus Aspis included several small viper species.
Last updated: 2025/10/31 23:58