caduceus

2 definitions found

caduceus - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Caduceus \Ca*du"ce*us\, n. [L. caduceum, caduceus; akin to Gr. ?
     a herald's wand, fr. ? herald.] (Myth.)
     The official staff or wand of Hermes or Mercury, the
     messenger of the gods. It was originally said to be a
     herald's staff of olive wood, but was afterwards fabled to
     have two serpents coiled about it, and two wings at the top.
     [1913 Webster]

caduceus - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  caduceus
      n 1: an insignia used by the medical profession; modeled after
           the staff of Hermes