scutum

Etymology
Borrowed from. .

Noun

 * 1)  An oblong shield made of boards or wickerwork covered with leather, with sometimes an iron rim; carried chiefly by the heavily armed infantry of the Roman army.
 * 2)  A scute.
 * 3)  A shield-like protection, such as the scutum protecting the back of a hard tick (cf. alloscutum, conscutum)
 * 4)  One of the two lower valves of the operculum of a barnacle.
 * 5)  The kneecap.
 * 1)  The kneecap.

Etymology
From, from , from ; cognate with 🇨🇬, 🇨🇬. Alternative theories derive the term from.

Noun

 * 1) a type of shield: the, the large oblong wooden shield carried by the Roman infantry
 * 2) a shield
 * 3)  shield-bearing soldiers
 * 4)  a defense, protection, shelter
 * 1)  a defense, protection, shelter

Usage notes

 * Although it has a technical meaning denoting a type of Roman shield, this word appears to have been also the generic word for "shield", suitable for referring to shields of other shapes and make.