teraph

British

/ ˈtɛrəf /

noun

Old Testament any of various small household gods or images venerated by ancient Semitic peoples. (Genesis 31:19–21; I Samuel 19:13–16)

"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

Etymology

Origin of teraph

C14: from Hebrew, of uncertain origin

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.

Stay—I will go and consult the teraph; it may know where he is....'

From Hypatia — or New Foes with an Old Face by Kingsley, Charles

After all, I liked you from the first moment I saw you, and asked the teraph about you, and I got an answer—such an answer!

From Hypatia — or New Foes with an Old Face by Kingsley, Charles

The teraph told me last night that you would be here....'

From Hypatia — or New Foes with an Old Face by Kingsley, Charles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023