vēlĕs, ĭtis, m. [volare, velox, flying troops], a kind of light-armed soldier, who attacked the enemy out of the line of battle, a skirmisher.
I Lit., usually in the plur.: velites, Liv. 26, 4, 4 sq.; 21, 55, 11; 23, 29, 3; 38, 21, 13; 30, 33, 3; Varr ap. Non. 552, 30; Ov. Ib. 48 (Merkel, militis); Val. Max. 2, 3, 3.— Sing. , Lucil. ap. Fest. s. v sub vitem, p. 308; Titin. ap. Non. 552, 26.—*
II Transf.: me autem a te, ut scurram velitem, malis oneratum esse, non moleste tuli, as the clown of the troop , Cic. Fam. 9, 20, 1.