scūtum
Possibly from Proto-Italic *skoitom (“shield”), from Proto-Indo-European*skoy-tó-m (“piece of wood, sheath, shield”), from *skey- (“to cut, split”); cognate with Old Irish scíath (“shield”), Russian щит (ščit, “shield”).Alternative theories derive the term from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewH-(“to cover, protect”) via *(s)kuH-tó-m.
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈskuː.tũː]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈskuː.t̪um]
scūtum n (genitive scūtī); second declension
- a type of shield: the scutum, the large oblong wooden shield carried by the Roman infantry
- a shield
- (by metonymy) shield-bearing soldiers
- (figuratively) a defense, protection, shelter
- Although it has a technical meaning denoting a type of Roman shield, this word appears to have been also the generic word for "shield", suitable for referring to shields of other shapes and make.
Second-declension noun (neuter).
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | scūtum | scūta |
| genitive | scūtī | scūtōrum |
| dative | scūtō | scūtīs |
| accusative | scūtum | scūta |
| ablative | scūtō | scūtīs |
| vocative | scūtum | scūta |