cestus

¹

[ ses-tuhs ]

noun

, plural ces·ti [ses, -tahy].

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.

cestus

²

[ ses-tuhs ]

noun

, Roman Antiquity.

, plural ces·tus·es.

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

cestus

¹

/ ˈsɛstəs; ˈsɛstɒs /

noun

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

cestus

²

/ ˈsɛstəs /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cestus¹

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

Origin of cestus²

1725–35; < Latin cestus, caestus

Word History and Origins

Origin of cestus¹

C16: from Latin, from Greek kestos belt, from kentein to stitch

Origin of cestus²

C18: from Latin caestus, probably from caedere to strike, slay

Example Sentences

She said, and loosed from her bosom the embroidered, variegated cestus; 468 where all allurements were enclosed.

From Project Gutenberg

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 Project Gutenberg

Venus, goddess of beauty, is represented either entirely naked, or with some scanty drapery called a “cestus.”

From Project Gutenberg

Controversy with boxing is the cestus, that is, the lead-loaded glove, like the pugilists in the Æneid.

From Project Gutenberg

He cared no more either for the prowess of two combatants who, wearing a cestus on the left arm, fought with sticks.

From Project Gutenberg