fasces

F4A1S1C3E1S1
/ˈfæsiːz/

noun

A Roman symbol of judicial authority consisting of a bundle of wooden sticks, with an axe blade embedded in the centre; used also as a symbol of fascism.

OriginLatin fascēs →
Scrabble 11
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Meanings

nounfasces (plural fasces)
  1. A Roman symbol of judicial authority consisting of a bundle of wooden sticks, with an axe blade embedded in the centre; used also as a symbol of fascism.

    The term fascist comes from ancient Rome's fascis; it means a bundle of sticks tightly bound together. The fascists claim that all of the divisions in a nation—rich and poor, left and right—will fall away when the nation unites behind a powerful leader.

    2017, Marina Budhos and Marc Aronson, Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro & The Invention of Modern Photojournalism, pages 26-27

Origin

  1. Latinfascēs
  2. Englishfasces

Borrowed from Latin fascēs (plural of fascis).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 束棒
  • 束棒 (shùbàng)bundle
Danish fasces, liktorbundt
  • fascesbundle
  • liktorbundtbundle
Finnish fasces
  • fascesbundle
French faisceau
  • faisceaubundle
German Faszes, Liktorenbündel
  • Faszesbundle
  • Liktorenbündelbundle
Greek φάσκες
  • φάσκες (fáskes)bundle
Icelandic axarvöndur
  • axarvöndurbundle
Italian fascio m fascio littorio
  • fascio m fascio littoriobundle
Japanese 束桿
  • 束桿bundle
Portuguese fasces
  • fascesbundle
Russian фасции, фасцы
  • фасции (fascii)bundle
  • фасцы (fascy)bundle
Cite this entry
APA

fasces. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fasces

MLA

“fasces.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fasces. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fasces,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fasces.

Source: fasces on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.