WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ces•tus1
(ses′təs),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ti (-tī).USA pronunciation
ces•tus2 (ses′təs),USA pronunciation n., pl. -tus•es. [Rom. Antiq.]
- Antiquitya girdle or belt, esp. as worn by women of ancient Greece.
- Mythology[Class. Myth.]the girdle of Venus, decorated with every object that could arouse amorous desire.
- Greek kestós a girdle, literally, (something) stitched, equivalent. to kes- (variant stem of kenteîn to stitch; see center) + -tos verb, verbal adjective, adjectival suffix
- Latin
- 1570–80
ces•tus2 (ses′təs),USA pronunciation n., pl. -tus•es. [Rom. Antiq.]
- Antiquitya hand covering made of leather strips and often covered with metal studs, worn by boxers.
- Latin cestus, caestus
- 1725–35
'cestus' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):