uraeus

[ yoo-ree-uhs ]

/ yʊˈri əs /

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noun, plural u·rae·us·es.

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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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

Words nearby uraeus

up yours, u quark, Ur, uracil, uraemia, uraeus, Ural, Ural-Altaic, Uralian, Uralian emerald, Uralic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use uraeus in a sentence

She was dressed in priestly robes and wore a costly head-dress with the winged disc and the Uraeus.
An Egyptian Princess, Complete|Georg Ebers
All wisdom is in the mouth of thy majesty; Thy uraeus is on thy forehead, thou drivest away the miserable.
Egyptian Tales, First Series, IVth To XIIth Dynasty|W. M. Flinders Petrie
The next morning, Amenhotep's Uraeus was gone and the corpse of Jason's man was found—part of it.
Zero Data|Charles Saphro
Without doubt it was the uraeus, that symbol which only the royalties of Old Egypt dared to wear.
The Yellow God|H. Rider Haggard

The Uraeus or snake worn in the crowns and head-dresses of the Pharaohs was a symbol of royalty.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry|Arthur Charles Fox-Davies

British Dictionary definitions for uraeus

uraeus

/ (jʊˈriːəs) /

noun plural -uses

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

Word Origin for uraeus

C19: from New Latin, from Greek ouraios, from Egyptian uro asp

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012