/an suy"lee, ahng kee"lay/ , n. , pl. ancilia /an sil"ee euh, ahng kil"-/ . Rom. Religion.
1. a shield given by Mars to Numa Pompilius as the palladium of Rome.
2. any of 11 counterfeits of this shield, carried with it on ceremonial occasions.
[ 1590-1600; ancile, traditionally said to be equiv. to an- (var. of ambi- AMBI- before c- ) + -cile ( -cid- comb. form of caed ( ere ) to cut (cf. -CIDE) + * -sl- n. suffix + -e, earlier * -i, s. vowel for compounds), referring to the deep indentations in the waist of the shield ]