Janus

[jey-nuhs]

noun

1. an ancient Roman god of doorways, of beginnings, and of the rising and setting of the sun, usually represented as having one head with two bearded faces back to back, looking in opposite directions.

2. Astronomy.,  a moon of the planet Saturn, located just outside the rings.

Janus

¹

/ ˈdʒeɪnəs /

noun

1. the Roman god of doorways, passages, and bridges. In art he is depicted with two heads facing opposite ways

Janus

²

/ ˈdʒeɪnəs /

noun

1. a small inner satellite of Saturn

Janus

1. The Roman god of doors and gateways and hence of beginnings.

The month of January is named after Janus.

Janus was pictured with two faces looking in opposite directions, one young and one old. Consequently, a hypocritical person is often called “Janus-faced.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Janus¹

< Latin, special use of jānus doorway, archway, arcade

Word History and Origins

Origin of Janus¹

C16: from Latin, from jānus archway

Example Sentences

In 2016, the Obama administration launched Operation Janus, meant to target individuals it believed posed “a risk to national security.”

From Salon

Watch the official trailer for "The Shrouds" here, and see it when it hits theaters nationwide on April 25, distributed by Sideshow and Janus Films.

From Salon

"That makes us dig in our heels and say, 'Please control yourself,'" says Janus Chemnitz Kleist, an IT manager for the Greenland government.

From BBC

The design of the novel type of smart crystals, which the researchers named Janus crystals, is inspired by desert plants and animals, which can survive in arid conditions.

From Science Daily

Industries such as automotive, electronics and apparel retail could face significant pressures under his proposed tariffs, according to a report by asset management company Janus Henderson.

From Salon