English
aspis
Aspis comes from Ancient Greek ἀσπίς ‘flat bowl shape, shield’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀσπίςaspís‘flat bowl shape, shield’
- Englishearliest quotation 1588aspis
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀσπίςaspís‘flat bowl shape, shield’
- Englishearliest quotation 1588aspis
Earliest quotation: 1588, Robert Greene, The History of Dorastus and Fawnia: “Flesh dipped in the sea Ægeum will never be…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *spey- ‘to expand, extend, stretch’
spike, spine, spinal, spinach, cusp, spire, buckthorn, spina, spigot, spica, 27 more
through Proto-Indo-European *speyd-
through Ancient Greek ἀσπίς ‘flat bowl shape, shield’
Today it means
noun A type of round shield borne by ancient Greek soldiers.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἀσπίς / aspis