n. The highest judicial and legislative council of ancient Athens. [Latin, from Greek Areios pagos, Areiopagos, hill of Ares, Areopagus (where the tribunal met) : Areios, of Ares (from Arēs, Ares) + pagos, stiff mass, hill (from pēgnunai, pag-, to stick, stiffen; see pag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.