cestus

¹

especially British, ces·tos

[ses-tuhs]

noun

plural

cesti 

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

cestuses 

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