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caduceus
[ kuh-doo-see-uhs, -syoos, -shuhs, -dyoo- ]
/ kəˈdu si əs, -syus, -ʃəs, -ˈdyu- /
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noun, plural ca·du·ce·i [kuh-doo-see-ahy, -shee-ahy, -dyoo-]. /kəˈdu siˌaɪ, -ʃiˌaɪ, -ˈdyu-/.
Classical Mythology. the staff carried by Mercury as messenger of the gods.
a representation of this staff used as an emblem of the medical profession and as the insignia of the U.S. Army Medical Corps.
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Compare staff of Aesculapius.
Origin of caduceus
1585–95; <Latin, variant of cādūceum<Greek (Doric) kārȳ́keion herald's staff, equivalent to kārȳk- (stem of kârȳx) herald + -eion, neuter of -eios adj. suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM caduceus
ca·du·ce·an, adjectiveWords nearby caduceus
cadmium yellow, Cadmus, Cadogan teapot, cadre, cadreman, caduceus, caducibranchiate, caducity, caducous, Cadwalader, Cadwallader
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use caduceus in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for caduceus
caduceus
/ (kəˈdjuːsɪəs) /
noun plural -cei (-sɪˌaɪ)
classical myth a staff entwined with two serpents and bearing a pair of wings at the top, carried by Hermes (Mercury) as messenger of the gods
an insignia resembling this staff used as an emblem of the medical professionCompare staff of Aesculapius
Word Origin for caduceus
C16: from Latin, from Doric Greek karukeion, from karux herald
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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