The noun aegis, usually embedded in the phrase under the aegis of, means protection, auspices, or sponsorship. It comes from the Ancient Greek aigis, which denoted a shield or armor made from the skin of a goat. So when a Greek poet wrote that a hero was under the aegis of the gods, this meant the hero was under divine protection.
Examples
Today, aegis still means protection, but its meaning has broadened. Here are a few examples:
The Office of Unclaimed Funds, under the aegis of the state comptroller, had set up a table at the Hilton. [New York Times]
Providing aid to Greece and other countries wouldn’t be straightforward, and it is unclear how it could be done under the aegis of the EU. [Wall Street Journal]
The technology that will make this possible is being developed under the aegis of the Semantic Web movement … [American Libraries Magazine]
