LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

scūtum

scūtum n (genitive scūtī)
Classical[ˈskuː.tũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈskuː.tum]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. a type of shield: the scutum, the large oblong wooden shield carried by the Roman infantry
    Near-synonyms: parma, clipeus
  2. a shield
  3. metonymicallyshield-bearing soldiers
  4. figurativelya defense, protection, shelter

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quō mīles corpus tegit; magnum et lātum.
scūtum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Bellum et Arma

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Scutum · Clypeus · Parma

Scutum (σκύτος) is a larger shield, covering the whole body, σάκος; clypeus and parma smaller shields of a round form, ἀσπίς; clypeus (κλοπιός, καλύψαι) for foot-soldiers; parma (πάλμη) for horse-soldiers also; lastly, pelta (πέλτη) a small shield in the form of a half-moon; cetra, a small leathern shield. Liv. ix. 19. Macedonibus clupeus . . . Romano scutum, majus corpori tegumentum. Liv. xxxi. 36. Cetratos, quos peltastas vocant, in insidiis abdiderat.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativescūtumscūta
genitivescūtīscūtōrum
dativescūtōscūtīs
accusativescūtumscūta
ablativescūtōscūtīs
vocativescūtumscūta

scūtum, i, n. (
I. masc. collat. form scū-tus, Turp. ap. Non. 226, 13) [σκῦτος].
I. An oblong shield, made of boards fastened together, and covered with leather, a buckler (whereas clipeus denotes a round shield, target of metal; cf. Veg. Mil. 2, 18): scutum pro clipeo, Liv. 1, 43: pedestre, of the infantry, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 9, 13, 14; 9, 13, 16; Liv. 6, 8; 7, 10: equestria, of the cavalry, id. 43, 6: ad galeas induendas scutisque tegimenta detrahenda tempus defuit, Caes. B. G. 2, 21: scutis ex cortice factis aut viminibus intextis, id. ib. 2, 33: sublato scuto, id. B. C. 2, 35: abjecto scuto fugere, Cic. Tusc. 2, 23, 54: ut non modo non abjecto, sed ne rejecto quidem scuto fugere videar, id. de Or. 2, 72, 294: scutum reliquisse praecipuum flagitium, Tac. G. 6: hastas et scuta reclinant, Verg. A. 12, 130: fulgentia, id. ib. 8, 93: longa, id. ib. 8, 539; Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 73; Liv. 7, 26; 38, 17: erectum altius, Amm. 24, 4, 4.—
B. Transf., heavyarmed soldiers, men bearing shields (late Lat.): oppidum, ordine circumdatum trino scutorum, oppugnabat, Amm. 24, 4, 10: Agilo, scutorum densitate contectus, id. 21, 12, 18 al.—
II. Trop., a shield, i. e. a defence, protection, sheiter, safeguard (rare): sed ne quod tamen scutum dare in judicio viderentur eis, quos, etc., Cic. Tull. 18, 43: scuto vobis magis quam gladio opus est, Liv. 3, 53 fin. (for which, just before: praesidia libertatis non licentiae ad impugnandos alios): Fabius novam de Hannibale victoriam commentus est, non pugnare. Hinc illud ex populo, ut Imperii scutum vocaretur, Flor. 2, 6, 27; cf.: Deus, scutum meum, Vulg. 2 Reg. 22, 3: scutum fidei, id. Eph. 6, 16.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*sek-?
  2. Latinscūtum

Proto-Indo-European *skey-der. Proto-Indo-European *skoy-tó-m Proto-Italic *skoitom? Latin scutum 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. It is unclear whether it is related to scutra (“platter, tray”).

Descendants
  • Catalanescut
  • Englishscute
  • EnglishScutum
  • Englishscutum
  • Frenchécufrom Old French escut
  • Englishécufrom Old French escut
  • Italianscudo
  • Englishscudofrom Italian scudo
  • Occitanescut
  • Portugueseescudo

In English words that came into English from scūtum

  • squirescūtārius
  • escutcheonscūtum
  • esquirescūtārius
  • scutescūtum
  • scutellumscūtellum
  • scutumscūtum
  • scutatescutātus
  • skewscūtum
  • scutiformscūtum
  • scudoscūtum
  • scutagescutagium
  • scutiferousscūtum
  • scutulumscutulum

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesScutumScutum (θυρεός), the Roman shield worn by the heavy-armed infantry after 340 B.C., instead of being round like the Greek CLIPEUS was adapted to the fo…

Quick answers

What does scūtum mean in Latin?
scūtum, a noun, means “a type of shield: the scutum, the large oblong wooden shield carried by the Roman infantry; a shield; shield-bearing soldiers”.
What is the genitive of scūtum?
The genitive singular is scūtī. scūtum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce scūtum?
In classical Latin, [ˈskuː.tũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈskuː.tum].
Where does scūtum come from?
Proto-Indo-European *sek-? → Latin scūtum.
Which English words come from scūtum?
English words that go back to Latin scūtum include escutcheon, scute, scutum, skew, scutiform and scudo.