sceptre an ornamented staff carried by rulers on ceremonial occasions as a symbol of sovereignty; in England, the traditional way of signifying the royal assent to a bill was by the sovereign's touching it with the sceptre. The word comes (in Middle English) via Old French and Latin from Greek skēptron, from skēptein ‘lean on’.

sceptre, U.S. scepter rod or wand as a symbol of regal or imperial authority. XIII. ME. ceptre, septre (with later assim. to L. and Gr.) — OF. ceptre, (also mod.) sceptre — L. scēptrum — Gr. skêptron, f. skḗptein prop.