cestus

¹ American  

[ses-tuhs] / ˈsɛs təs /

especially British, cestos

noun

• cesti
  plural

1. a girdle or belt, especially as worn by women of ancient Greece.

2. Classical Mythology. the girdle of Venus, decorated with every object that could arouse amorous desire.

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cestus ² American  

[ses-tuhs] / ˈsɛs təs /

noun

Roman Antiquity.

• cestuses
  plural

1. a hand covering made of leather strips and often covered with metal studs, worn by boxers.

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cestus ¹ British  

/ ˈsɛstəs, ˈsɛstɒs /

noun

1. classical myth the girdle of Aphrodite (Venus) decorated to cause amorousness

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cestus ² British  

/ ˈsɛstəs /

noun

1. (in classical Roman boxing) a pugilist's gauntlet of bull's hide loaded or studded with metal

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cesti
  plural
• cestuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cestus¹

1570–80; < Latin < Greek kestós a girdle, literally, (something) stitched, equivalent to kes- (variant stem of kenteîn to stitch; see center) + -tos verbal adjective suffix

Origin of cestus²

1725–35; < Latin cestus, caestus

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cestus cesti cestuses

They were the Army's cestus in punch after armed punch on the slogging road across North Africa, in the invasions of Sicily and Italy.

From Time Magazine Archive

Pure Friendship was there With celestial air, Her cestus around us she threw; “Be united,” she cried, “Ne’er may discord divide A union so blissful and true.”

From Heart Utterances at Various Periods of a Chequered Life by Eliza Paul Gurney

Half-holiday except to those wielders of the wind-stuffed cestus.

From From School to Battle-field A Story of the War Days by Charles King

A noted Trojan warrior named Dares, a man of immense strength and bulk, who was also celebrated for his skill with the cestus, presented himself to contest this prize.

From The Children's Hour, Volume 3 (of 10) by Various

Jupiter might as soon keep awake when Juno came in best bib and tucker, and with the cestus of Venus, to get him to sleep.

From Household Papers and Stories by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Stonore: Cest usage est molt encontre la ley, qe cesti qe doit tenir les plees ne poet pas recorder un attourne en ple qe serra plede devant lui mesme.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Paul Vinogradoff

The ladies wore bandeaux, cestuses, and ribands, stamped and embroidered with the name of Washington; some in gold and silver letters, and some in pearls.

From Washington and the American Republic, Vol. 3. by Benson John Lossing