Make Your Point > Archived Issues > AEGIS

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explore the archives: Aegis (rhyme it with "Regis") was the mythological shield used by Zeus, and today it means "protection" or "sponsorship." So when you talk about being under someone's aegis, it's a comparison to a shield. But when you talk about something being the bas____ of something else, it's a comparison to a fortress. Both words suggest unyielding protection. make your point with... "AEGIS" Originally, Aegis was the name of a mythological shield carried by Zeus. If you want, you can still "swear by the Aegis of Zeus" that such-and-such is true. But we'll stick to the general meaning! :) Aegis is the strong protection or support provided by someone or something. Pronunciation: "EE jiss." (I had a hard time getting this pronunciation to stick in my memory.  If you're in the same boat, try writing a limerick. Here's one: "As kind and as selfless as Jesus, Simon would reach for the peaches And would hand them on down To the small kids around Who remained safely under his aegis.") There's an alternate spelling: You might see "egis," which means the same thing. But it's really rare.  Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like "milk," "rice," and "education," uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of education," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many educations." Likewise, talk about "the aegis," "this aegis," "his aegis," "such aegis," "no aegis," and so on, but don’t say "an aegis," "one aegis," or "aegises.") Other forms: None. How to use it: It's a fancy word that we usually save for serious situations. Talk about someone's aegis or something's aegis ("the pope's aegis," "the laws' aegis") or the aegis of someone or something ("the aegis of a multinational corporation," "the aegis of human rights"). Often, we talk about someone (or something) being under someone's aegis ("she's only seventeen, still under her parents' aegis") or under the aegis of someone or something ("the project remains under the aegis of the network," "he's no longer under the aegis of his home country"). Less often, we'll say that someone or something covers, protects, or shelters someone or something with his/her/its aegis: "a judge who covers with his aegis every young adult brought up for minor infractions," "they've always been sheltered by their helicopter mom's aegis." Some people use "aegis" to mean not "protection, support" but instead "control and oversight." (A few examples: "the project is under the aegis of the review committee," "this falls outside the aegis of our rules.") Use this meaning if you like--it's acknowledged by dictionaries--but I prefer to stick to the original meaning. If this word is a new one for you, here's a small point that might save you from using it awkwardly. Unlike the synonyms "protection" and "support," "aegis" doesn't stand by itself without "the" or an owner ("his," "her," "its," "the company's," and so on). That is, you can say "We need protection" and "We need support," but you can't say "We need aegis." You'd have to say "We need the aegis of someone" or "We need their aegis." One last thing to consider! If "aegis" is a shield, why do we talk about being under it instead of behind it? After all, it's a shield, not an umbrella. Well, in the myths, Zeus's original Aegis might have been some other piece of armor or even a garment; in that case, it would make sense to say you're "under" it. Plus, the phrase "under the aegis of" took hold in 1773 and has been used ever since. It'd be hard to change it now. examples: Jason Isbell traded stability and his record label's aegis for total creative control of his own music. It'd be a whole lot easier to conduct some research studies outside the aegis of a university, but then, who would publish it? study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "aegis" means when you can explain it without saying "backing" or "guidance." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "Under (someone or something)'s aegis, (someone) (accomplished or could accomplish something in particular)." Example: "Under Pope Francis's aegis, atheists have been extended greater tolerance." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is called One-Word Titles! Rely on your cultural knowledge, your vocabulary, or both as we consider the power and simplicity of one-word titles. We'll recall movies, songs, books, television shows, and musicals with brief, meaningful, well-chosen titles of only one word each. Let's play! From yesterday: The title of this 1998 movie, directed by Michael Bay and starring Bruce Willis, means "a catastrophic conflict, especially one that destroys the entire world." (And it’s a word we got from the Hebrew name of a city that will, supposedly, host the world’s last battle between good and evil.) The title is __________. Answer: Armageddon. Try this today: The monosyllabic title of this Collective Soul song, released in 1995, means "to become a single, solid form." The title is ___. review today's word: 1. The closest opposite of AEGIS is A. ATTACK B. INFANCY C. ILLNESS 2. Under the aegis of his _____, he grew increasingly _____. A. work .. committed B. health ..stressed C. mentor .. skilled Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C