uraeus

American  

[yoo-ree-uhs] / jʊˈri əs /

noun

uraeuses plural

1. the sacred asp as represented upon the headdress of divinities and royal personages of ancient Egypt, usually directly over the forehead, as an emblem of supreme power.

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uraeus British  

/ jʊˈriːəs /

noun

1. the sacred serpent represented on the headdresses of ancient Egyptian kings and gods

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• uraeuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of uraeus

1825–35; < New Latin < Late Greek ouraîos, perhaps based ultimately on Egyptian yʿrt cobra, altered by association with Greek ouraîos of the tail; see uro- ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

uraeus

O thou Cat, thy two eyes are the Eye of the Lord of the Khut uraeus, who illumineth the Two Lands with his Eye, and illumineth the face on the path of darkness.

From Legends of the Gods The Egyptian Texts, edited with Translations by Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir

The disk has an uraeus on each side.

From Legends of the Gods The Egyptian Texts, edited with Translations by Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir

I will play thee three games, and stake the sacred circlet upon my brow, against the Royal uraeus on thine, and the winner shall wear both.'

From The World's Desire by Haggard, Henry Rider

Upon her head shone the uraeus crown, and she carried a long rod of cedar-wood topped with an apple carved in bluestone, and at her side came the appearance of a tall young man.

From Figures of Earth by Cabell, James Branch

He raised her up, gave her place by his side, clasped the uraeus upon her arm, kissed her, and Ne-ne-hofra was queen of all queens.

From Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ by Wallace, Lewis