staff of Asclepius

noun phrase

staff of As·​cle·​pi·​us -ˌa-ˈsklē-pē-əs 

variants or staff of Aesculapius

-ˌe-skyə-ˈlā-pē-əs 

: a conventionalized representation of a staff branched at the top with a single snake twined around it that is used as a symbol of medicine and as the official insignia of the American Medical Association

called also rod of Asclepius, rod of Aesculapius

compare caduceus sense 2a

Word History

Etymology

after Aesculapius, Greco-Roman god of medicine, from Latin, from Greek Asklēpios

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

staff of Asclepius

noun

staff of As·​cle·​pi·​us -ˌa-ˈsklē-pē-əs 

variants or staff of Aesculapius

-ˌes-kyə-ˈlā-pē-əs 

: a conventionalized representation of a staff branched at the top with a single snake twined around it that is used as a symbol of medicine and as the official insignia of the American Medical Association

called also rod of Asclepius, rod of Aesculapius

compare caduceus sense a