velites
Britishplural noun
Etymology
Origin of velites
C17: from Latin, pl of vēles light-armed foot soldier; related to volāre to fly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To avoid infection, the corpses of the velites had been speedily buried; and the position of the graves was no longer visible.
From Salammbo by Flaubert, Gustave
Ladders had been placed beforehand in this passage against the wall of cliff; and, protected by the windings of the gaps, the velites were able to seize and mount them before being overtaken.
From Salammbo by Flaubert, Gustave
From that time the Roman cavalry had the superiority; and it was established that there should be velites in the legions.
From The History of Rome, Books 09 to 26 by Livius, Titus
The Barbarians dashed into it in order to overtake the velites; quite at the bottom other Carthaginians were running tumultuously amid galloping oxen.
From Salammbo by Flaubert, Gustave
The new territories furnished cavalry, better and more numerous than the old equites, and light troops of various kinds to replace the velites.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
