Weekly Word: Aegis

Here’s an odd-sounding word: aegis, pronounced ee-jis or ay-jis. It’s a noun meaning “protection; support” or “sponsorship; auspices”.

The word comes from Greek mythology, where it means “the shield or breastplate of Zeus or Athena, bearing at its center the head of the Gorgon”. You can read more on the mythology and the etymology of aegis on Wikipedia. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word comes from the Greek word “Aigis, the shield of Zeus, said by Herodotus to be related to aix (gen. aigos) ‘goat,’ […] as the shield was of goatskin”.