ancile

[ an-sahy-lee, ahng-kee-ley ]
/ ænˈsaɪ li, ɑŋˈki leɪ /

noun, plural an·cil·i·a [an-sil-ee-uh, ahng-kil-] /ænˈsɪl i ə, ɑŋˈkɪl-/. Roman Religion.

a shield given by Mars to Numa Pompilius as the palladium of Rome.
any of 11 counterfeits of this shield, carried with it on ceremonial occasions.

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anchorite
a granular metamorphic rock.
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.
a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
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Origin of ancile

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 (cf. -cide) + *-sl- noun suffix + -e, earlier *-i, stem vowel for compounds), referring to the deep indentations in the waist of the shield

Words nearby ancile

ancient of days, ancient regime, ancient wisdom, anciently, ancientry, ancile, ancilla, ancillary, ancipital, ancohuma, ancon
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

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