Thyreos
/ˈθaɪ.ri.ɒs/noun
An ancient Greek oblong shield, especially one used by soldiers or as a ceremonial emblem.
Did you know?The Greek thyreos was so associated with military display that its name was later used in compounds for shield-like forms, including the scientific term thyroid, originally linked to a shield-shaped structure.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
θυρεός (thyreos)
“An oblong shield, originally a door-shaped shield or large shield-like door panel.”
Late Ancient Greek
Gk
θυρεός
“Used more broadly for shield-shaped or door-like objects and forms.”
Latin
Lat
thyreus
“A learned borrowing referring to a Greek shield.”
Modern Scientific Latin
Lat
thyreo-
“A combining form meaning shield-shaped, especially in anatomical terms.”
Modern English
Eng
thyreos
“A scholarly transliteration of the Greek word for an ancient shield.”