shen ring

noun

A circle with a line at a tangent to it, represented in hieroglyphs as a stylized loop of rope, representing eternal protection.

“In its elongated form, the shen ring became the cartouche which enclosed and protected a royal name.”

OriginEgyptian šn →
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Meanings

nounshen ring (plural shen rings)

plural shen rings

  1. A circle with a line at a tangent to it, represented in hieroglyphs as a stylized loop of rope, representing eternal protection.

    In its elongated form, the shen ring became the cartouche which enclosed and protected a royal name.

Origin

  1. Egyptianšn“shen ring, circuit”
  2. Englishshen ring

Borrowed from Egyptian šn (“shen ring, circuit”), a derivative of šnj (“to be round, to encircle”).

More words from Egyptian

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

shen ring. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shen%20ring

MLA

“shen ring.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shen%20ring. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shen ring,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shen%20ring.

Source: shen ring on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.