phylactery

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: phy=lac=ter=y

CIDE DICTIONARY

phylactery, n. [OE. filateri, OF. filatire, filatiere, F. phylactère, L. phylacterium, Gr. , fr. a watcher, guard, to watch, guard. Cf. Philatory.].

•  Any charm or amulet worn as a preservative from danger or disease.  [1913 Webster]
•  A small square box, made either of parchment or of black calfskin, containing slips of parchment or vellum on which are written the scriptural passages Exodus xiii. 2-10, and 11-17, Deut. vi. 4-9, 13-22. They are worn by Jews on the head and left arm, on week-day mornings, during the time of prayer.  Schaff-Herzog Encyc.  [1913 Webster]
•  Among the primitive Christians, a case in which the relics of the dead were inclosed.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

phylactery, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law.
2 an amulet; a charm.
3 a usu. ostentatious religious observance.
4 a fringe; a border.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. LL phylacterium f. Gk phulakterion amulet f. phulasso guard

THESAURUS

phylactery

Agnus Dei, Holy Grail, Host, Pieta, Sanctus bell, Sangraal, amulet, ark, asperger, asperges, aspergillum, bambino, beadroll, beads, candle, censer, chaplet, charm, ciborium, cross, crucifix, cruet, eucharistial, fetish, fylfot, gammadion, good-luck charm, holy cross, holy water, holy-water sprinkler, hoodoo, icon, incensory, juju, love charm, luck, lucky bean, lucky piece, madstone, mascot, matzo, menorah, mezuzah, mikvah, monstrance, mumbo jumbo, obeah, osculatory, ostensorium, paschal candle, pax, periapt, philter, phylacteries, prayer shawl, prayer wheel, pyx, relics, rood, rosary, sacramental, sacred relics, sacring bell, scarab, scarabaeus, scarabee, shofar, sudarium, sukkah, swastika, tabernacle, talisman, tallith, thurible, urceole, veronica, vigil light, voodoo, votive candle, whammy

ROGET THESAURUS

phylactery

Spell

N spell, charm, incantation, exorcism, weird, cabala, exsufflation, cantrap, runes, abracadabra, open sesame, countercharm, Ephesian letters, bell book and candle, Mumbo Jumbo, evil eye, fee-faw- fum, talisman, amulet, periapt, telesm, phylactery, philter, fetich, fetish, agnus Dei, lamb of God, furcula, madstone, mascot, mascotte, merrythought, Om, Aum, scarab, scarabaeus, sudarium, triskelion, veronica, wishbone, swastika, fylfot, gammadion, wand, caduceus, rod, divining rod, lamp of Aladdin, wishing-cap, Fortunatus's cap.

Maxim

N maxim, aphorism, apothegm, apophthegm, dictum, saying, adage, saw, proverb, sentence, mot, motto, word, byword, moral, phylactery, protasis, axiom, theorem, scholium, truism, postulate, first principles, a priori fact, assumption (supposition), reflection, conclusion, golden rule, principle, principia, profession of faith, settled principle, accepted principle, formula, accepted fact, received truth, wise maxim, sage maxim, received maxim, admitted maxim, recognized maxim, true saying, common saying, hackneyed saying, trite saying, commonplace saying, aphoristic, proverbial, phylacteric, axiomatic, gnomic, as the saying goes, as the saying is, as they say.