caduceus

[ kuh-doo-see-uhs, -syoos, -shuhs, -dyoo- ]

noun

, plural ca·du·ce·i [k, uh, -, doo, -see-ahy, -shee-ahy, -, dyoo, -].

1. Classical Mythology. the staff carried by Mercury as messenger of the gods.
2. a representation of this staff used as an emblem of the medical profession and as the insignia of the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

caduceus

/ kəˈdjuːsɪəs /

noun

1. classical myth a staff entwined with two serpents and bearing a pair of wings at the top, carried by Hermes (Mercury) as messenger of the gods
2. See staff of Aesculapius
   an insignia resembling this staff used as an emblem of the medical profession Compare staff of Aesculapius

Other Words From

• ca·duce·an adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caduceus¹

1585–95; < Latin, variant of cādūceum < Greek (Doric) kārȳ́keion herald's staff, equivalent to kārȳk- (stem of kârȳx ) herald + -eion, neuter of -eios adj. suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of caduceus¹

C16: from Latin, from Doric Greek karukeion, from karux herald

Example Sentences

And that accomplishment was sitting right there on the desk with a golden caduceus gleaming on the cover.

From The Daily Beast

Romney was smiling as brightly as the caduceus when the painting was officially unveiled at the statehouse in July 2009.

From The Daily Beast

The inclusion of the Caduceus seemed no less important to Romney than the inclusion of his wife.

From The Daily Beast

“The whole problem was what to do with the caduceus,” Whitney recalls.

From The Daily Beast

Romney even forgot that he had forgotten the bill with the golden caduceus.

From The Daily Beast

The name of Hermes was chosen because of the supposed magical powers of the god of the caduceus.

From Project Gutenberg

I don't know whether anyone has ever remarked that the caduceus of Mercury represents two serpents coupled.

From Project Gutenberg

She holds in her left hand the caduceus, the winged rod of Mercury, in her right a miniature ship.

From Project Gutenberg

And one of them had a petasus and a golden caduceus, and the other had a trumpet.

From Project Gutenberg

It was much later when the big caduceus set into the sidewalk snapped him back to awareness of where he'd traveled.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• baton