ancile

[an-sahy-lee, ahng-kee-ley]

noun

Roman Religion.

plural

ancilia 

1. a shield given by Mars to Numa Pompilius as the palladium of Rome.

2. any of 11 counterfeits of this shield, carried with it on ceremonial occasions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancile¹

1590–1600; < Latin ancīle, traditionally said to be equivalent to an- (variant of ambi- ambi- before c- ) + -cīle ( -cīd- combining form of caed ( ere ) to cut ( -cide ) + *-sl- noun suffix + -e, earlier *-i, stem vowel for compounds), referring to the deep indentations in the waist of the shield

Example Sentences

Ancile Solutions of Elkridge appointed Malcolm Poulin director of product strategy and James Wee director of business development.

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Lonergen, whose company Ancile Solutions helps businesses to improve employee productivity through training, argues there is not much difference in terms of performance between a 25-year-old worker and a 55-year-old one if both are afforded the right opportunities.

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Even while they prayed, it is said, a shield, Ancile, fell from heaven, and a voice was distinctly heard to declare that Rome would endure as long as this token of the god’s good will was preserved.

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Then, in constant dread lest some of their enemies should succeed in stealing it, they caused eleven other shields to be made, so exactly like the heaven-sent Ancile, that none but the guardian priests, the Salii, who kept continual watch over them, could detect the original from the facsimiles.

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Shortly after, Julian plainly accuses Christians of worshipping the wood of the Cross, though they refused to worship the ancile.

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