amulet
AM-yoo-lit
/ˈæmjulɪt/
An ornament or small piece of jewelry worn as a protection against evil, danger, or disease.
Focuses primarily on protective or apotropaic function rather than mere aesthetic beauty.
The story behind the word. Directly borrowed from Latin 'amuletum', recorded in Pliny's Natural History. The precise pre-Latin roots are obscure, but the term always designated an object believed to ward off harm or illness through inherent magical properties.
Word relationships
- charm: 'Charm' is more casual and can mean a decorative trinket, whereas an amulet carries stronger spiritual/protective connotations.
- talisman: An amulet protects against evil (defensive); a talisman attracts power or luck (offensive/active).
Commonly confused with
- pendant: A pendant describes an object's physical hanging position, whereas an amulet describes its protective spiritual function.
Word family
- amulets (noun): Plural form of amulet.
Collocations
- protective amulet
- carved amulet
- wear an amulet
- ancient amulet
Example sentences
- "Ancient Egyptian tombs often contained stone amulets carved in the shape of scarab beetles." Archaeology
- "He clutched the protective amulet hanging around his neck as the shadows gathered." Fantasy Fiction
Memory hook
AMULET sounds like 'ARM against YOU LET nothing evil pass'. Shield against evil.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'talisman', which is intended to bring active good fortune or special powers rather than passive defense.
Fun facts
- In ancient Rome, children wore a protective amulet called a 'bulla' around their necks until they reached adulthood.
Explore more words
ornament, ornamental, trinket, protective, incantation, adorn
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