| 释义 |
an·cil·la
\anˈsilə\ noun
(plural ancil·lae \-i(ˌ)lē\)
Etymology: Latin, female servant, diminutive of (assumed) ancula (whence Ancula, a goddess who ministered to the gods), feminine of (assumed) anculus (whence Anculus, a ministering god), from an- (variant of ambi- around) + -culus circulating (akin to colere to cultivate, dwell — formerly, to circulate) — more at ambi-, wheel
1. : an adjunct especially to something large or significant : accessory
< a mere ancilla to architecture >
2. : an aid in achieving or mastering something difficult, complex, or obscure : helper
< a most necessary ancilla to literary appreciation — George Saintsbury > |