Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Protection.
  • noun Sponsorship; patronage.
  • noun Guidance, direction, or control.
  • noun Greek Mythology The goatskin shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena. Athena's shield carried at its center the head of Medusa.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A mythological shield associated with Zeus and Athena shown as a short cloak consisting of a goatskin. The aegis of Athena is usually shown with a border of snakes and with the head of Medusa in the center. The aegis is more an emblem of protection and power than an actual military shield.
  • noun Protection, guidance. Usually used as ‘under the aegis’ because of its origin as protection of the shield of Athena.
  • noun Endorsement.
  • noun Sponsorship.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin, from Greek aigis, goatskin, skin shield, aegis, from aix, aig-, goat.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin aegis, from Ancient Greek αἰγίς (aigis, "goatskin”, “shield of Athena"), from αἴξ (aix, "goat").

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Examples

Comments

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  • With my acumen I can be an aegis to you when trying to spot a fake diamond.

    October 2, 2014