amulet

am·u·let | \ ˈam-yə-lət

How to pronounce amulet (audio)

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Definition of amulet

: a charm (such as an ornament) often inscribed with a magic incantation or symbol to aid the wearer or protect against evil (such as disease or witchcraft)

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Examples of amulet in a Sentence

a small cross made of goat bone was worn in the Middle Ages as an amulet to ward off evil

Recent Examples on the Web The researchers speculate that the object was an amulet placed near the site of evisceration to offer spiritual protection. — Colin Barras, Science | AAAS, "Atom smasher unearths surprises hidden with 2000-year-old mummy," 24 Nov. 2020 His lover, Enid Evans, tied a mauve ribbon to the strut of his airplane, as an amulet. — Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, "A Pilot’s Son Takes Flight," 17 Oct. 2020 Some people from Chiloé even carry a potato in their pocket like an amulet to ward off spells cast by spiteful neighbours. — Mark Johanson, The Economist, "Food Mash hits: the land that spawned the supermarket spud," 28 Aug. 2020 The standard prescription, according to Arbøll, was to wear a leather amulet and breathe in smoke from certain ingredients charred on hot coals. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "This Demon, Immortalized in 2,700-Year-Old Assyrian Tablet, Was Thought to Cause Epilepsy," 3 Jan. 2020 The collection also includes a tenth-century protective amulet fashioned out of a miniature Quran, assorted editions of the Quran, and books decorated with gold leaf embroidery and semiprecious gemstone lapis lazuli. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, "The National Library of Israel Will Digitize 2,500 Rare Islamic Manuscripts," 10 June 2020 Whatever action or amulet a culture has to summon good and repel evil, their power appears to lie in the mind of the beholder. — National Geographic, "From evil eyes to sacred hearts, a look at lucky charms around the world," 9 June 2020 She was covered with amulets and jewelry made of gold and precious stones. — National Geographic, "The royal tombs of Ur revealed Mesopotamia's golden splendor," 22 May 2019 The fear among Romans was so pronounced back then that, today, archaeologists working all over the old imperial territory still find amulets and little stones carved by people desperately trying to ward off the pestilence. — Edward Watts, Smithsonian Magazine, "What Rome Learned From the Deadly Antonine Plague of 165 A.D.," 28 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amulet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Amulet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amulet. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.

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