phylactery

[ fi-lak-tuh-ree ]

/ fɪˈlæk tə ri /

noun, plural phy·lac·ter·ies.

Judaism. either of two small, black, leather cubes containing a piece of parchment inscribed with verses 4–9 of Deut. 6, 13–21 of Deut. 11, and 1–16 of Ex. 13: one is attached with straps to the left arm and the other to the forehead during weekday morning prayers by Orthodox and Conservative Jewish men.

(in the early Christian church) a receptacle containing a holy relic.

an amulet, charm, or safeguard against harm or danger.

RELATED WORDS

amulet, talisman, reminder, charm

Nearby words

Origin of phylactery

1350–1400; < Late Latin phylactērium < Greek phylaktḗrion outpost, safeguard, amulet, equivalent to phylak-, stem of phylássein to protect, guard + -tērion noun suffix denoting place; replacing Middle English philaterie < Medieval Latin philatērium, for Late Latin, as above

Related formsphyl·ac·ter·ic

[fil-ak-ter-ik] /ˌfɪl ækˈtɛr ɪk/, phyl·ac·ter·i·cal, adjectivephy·lac·ter·ied, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for phylacteries

This latter class are sometimes called "characts," as an example of which may be mentioned the Jewish phylacteries.
Bygone Beliefs|H. Stanley Redgrove
Do you think I could stand having my hands and feet tied—with phylacteries?'
The Grandchildren of the Ghetto|Israel Zangwill
It was customary to tie certain kinds of phylacteries into a knot.
Primitive Psycho-Therapy and Quackery|Robert Means Lawrence
I never once saw him in prayer-scarf and phylacteries the whole time, or saying grace after meat.
Stories and Pictures|Isaac Loeb Peretz

He wore the phylacteries all day, that he might be reminded of his religious duties.
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala|Various

British Dictionary definitions for phylacteries

phylactery

/ (fɪˈlæktərɪ) /

noun plural -teries

Also called: Tefillah Judaism (usually plural) either of the pair of blackened square cases containing parchments inscribed with biblical passages, bound by leather thongs to the head and left arm, and worn by Jewish men during weekday morning prayers

a reminder or aid to remembering

archaic an amulet or charm

Word Origin for phylactery

C14: from Late Latin phylactērium, from Greek phulaktērion outpost, from phulax a guard

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for phylacteries

phylactery

late 14c., "small leathern box containing four Old Testament texts," from Old French filatiere (12c.) and directly from Medieval Latin philaterium, from Late Latin phylacterium "reliquary," from Greek phylacterion "safeguard, amulet," noun use of neuter of adjective phylakterios "serving as a protection," from phylakter "watcher, guard," from phylassein "to guard or ward off," from phylax (genitive phylakos) "guard," of unknown origin. Sometimes worn on the forehead, based on a literal reading of scripture:

Ye shall bind them [my words] for a sign upon your hands, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. [Deut. xi:18]