baetyl

[beet-l]

noun Classical Antiquity.

a meteorite or stone held sacred or believed to be of divine origin.

Also bae·tu·lus

[bee-chuh-luh s, beet-l-uh s] /ˈbi tʃə ləs, ˈbit l əs/, bae·ty·lus

[beet-l-uh s] /ˈbit l əs/.

Origin of baetyl

1850–55; < Latin baetulus < Greek baítȳlos meteoric stone

Related formsbae·tyl·ic

[bee-til-ik] /biˈtɪl ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for baetyl

Historical Examples of baetyl

This pillar can hardly be anything but a baetyl, or sacred stone.
Rough Stone Monuments and Their Builders
T. Eric Peet
At the foot of one of the trilithons was found a baetyl 51 inches in height, now in the museum at Valletta.
Rough Stone Monuments and Their Builders
T. Eric Peet
It has been suggested that this pit was made to hold the base of the cult-object, whether it was a baetyl or an idol.
Rough Stone Monuments and Their Builders
T. Eric Peet