/skyooh"teuhm/ , n. , pl. scuta /-teuh/ for 1, 2, gen. Scuti /skooh"tuy/ for 3.
1. Zool. scute (def. 1).
2. a large, oblong shield used by the heavy legionaries of ancient Rome.
3. ( cap. ) Astron. the Shield, a southern constellation north of Sagittarius and east of Aquila, containing a small, very bright star cloud.
[ 1765-75; scutum shield ]