ansa

[ an-suh ]

noun

, plural an·sae [an, -see].

1. Archaeology. a looped handle, especially of a vase.
2. Astronomy. either of the apparent extremities of the rings of Saturn or of other planets, especially when viewed from the earth or from spacecraft under certain conditions, when they look like two handles.
3. Anatomy. a loop-shaped anatomical structure, found primarily in the nervous system.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ansa¹

First recorded in 1400–50 (in the anatomical sense “zygomatic arch”); 1660–70 ansa fordef 2; Middle English, from Latin ānsa “handle (of a cup or jar), handle (of a door), loop, clamp”

Example Sentences

“My husband and I were in the water for more than four hours,” she said, according to ANSA news service.

From The Daily Beast

“We do not want any Islamic museum in Venice,” Massimo Bitonci, a senator for the Northern League told ANSA news agency.

From The Daily Beast

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told Italian news agency Ansa that he had no idea whether the Vatican was tapped.

From The Daily Beast

Lombroso finds the ear ad ansa, as he calls it—the handle-shaped ear—in 28 per cent.

From Project Gutenberg

One ansa, indeed, is sometimes visible without the other, and most commonly it is the Eastern one that is missing.

From Project Gutenberg

Desiderius and his wife Ansa endowed this convent with landed property which spread over all the Lombard kingdom.

From Project Gutenberg

Tell him that, thanks to ten years of glorious efforts, thou hast completed the church of the Ansa-à-Veau.

From Project Gutenberg

Ingan, Thunder people, among who are Uianbe-ansa and Wanace-jiga.

From Project Gutenberg