1. Plural of ancilla; female servants or handmaids in ancient Rome.
Usage: Latin plural form; historical/classical context; used in academic and historical discussions of Roman society
2. In philosophy and theology, auxiliary or subordinate disciplines or concepts that serve a primary field of study.
Usage: formal/academic; from Latin phrase 'ancilla theologiae' (handmaid of theology)

Examples

• The ancillae in wealthy Roman households performed domestic tasks and served their masters.
• Historical texts describe the daily lives of ancillae in the Forum and marketplaces.
• In medieval scholarship, philosophy was sometimes regarded as ancillae to theology.
• The status of ancillae in Roman society was significantly lower than that of free women.
• Ancient inscriptions provide evidence of the names and origins of many ancillae.