caduceus

UK: /kəˈdjuːsɪəs/

US: (kə do̅o̅′sē əs, -syo̅o̅s, -shəs, -dyo̅o̅′-)

Inflections of 'caduceus' (n): npl: caducei

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ca•du•ce•us  (kə do̅o̅′sē əs, -syo̅o̅s, -shəs, -dyo̅o̅′-), n., pl. -ce•i 

(-sē ī′). 
1. Mythology [Class. Myth.] the staff carried by Mercury as messenger of the gods.
2. Medicine, Military a representation of this staff used as an emblem of the medical profession and as the insignia of the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Cf. staff of Aesculapius. 

• Greek (Doric) kārý̄keion herald's staff, equivalent. to kārȳk- (stem of kârȳx) herald + -eion, neuter of -eios adjective, adjectival suffix
• Latin, variant of cādūceum
• 1585–95

ca•du′ce•an, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

caduceus / kəˈdjuːsɪəs/ noun ( -cei / -sɪˌaɪ/)

1. a staff entwined with two serpents and bearing a pair of wings at the top, carried by Hermes (Mercury) as messenger of the gods
2. an insignia resembling this staff used as an emblem of the medical profession

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin, from Doric Greek karukeion, from karux herald