amulet
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of amulet
First recorded in 1595–1605; either from Middle French amulete or directly from Latin amulētum
Compare meaning
How does amulet compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If you rub your pendant while praying to your gods, it sounds like you have an amulet, a necklace or similar item attributed with magical powers. An amulet is something that wards off evil spells and all manner of bad luck. Often found in undeveloped societies — or Brady Bunch episodes — an amulet acts as a charm to protect its wearer from evil. Often worn close to the heart as a necklace, the word amulet can refer to any a piece of jewelry or other trinket that is kept close to the body and believed to keep evil and danger at bay.
Vocabulary lists containing amulet
Ancient Egypt - Introductory
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Ancient Egypt - Middle School and High School
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Brooding and theatrical, Amulet earned a Washington Area Music Award nomination and a spot headlining H Street joint Pie Shop with its hard-driving rock ballads.
From Washington Post • Aug. 24, 2022
The artifact, called the Amulet of Helene, was even set up to be one of the possible causes for the extinction event.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2021
It read: "Catherine's / Long finger / Over / Shadows / Earth / Buried / Yellow / Amulet / Midday / Points / The / Hour / In / Light of equinox / Look you."
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2019
Take Allergy Amulet, the company that will soon begin beta-testing a chic line of wearables—necklaces, watches, and cellphone cases—that cleverly conceal chemical-based allergen detection strips.
From Slate • Aug. 10, 2016
After a moment, she leaned in and whispered, as if to the book itself: “Show me where the last piece of the Resurrection Amulet is hidden.”
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
