Phylactery

Pronunciation: /fɪˈlæktəri/

Definitions of phylactery

noun a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law

Example Sentences

A1 A phylactery is a small container used to hold a religious text.

A2 In some cultures, people wear a phylactery as a protective charm.

B1 The phylactery was believed to contain the essence of the ancient wizard.

B2 The phylactery was heavily guarded by magical wards to prevent its destruction.

C1 The phylactery was said to grant immortality to whoever possessed it.

C2 Legends tell of a powerful phylactery that could control the elements themselves.

Examples of phylactery in a Sentence

formal The ancient artifact was believed to be a phylactery containing the soul of a powerful sorcerer.

informal I heard that old pendant is actually a phylactery with magical powers.

slang That necklace is rumored to be a phylactery, so watch out for any curses!

figurative Some people consider their smartphone to be their modern-day phylactery, holding all their important information and memories.

Grammatical Forms of phylactery

• past tense: phylacteried
• plural: phylacteries
• comparative: more phylactery
• superlative: most phylactery
• present tense: phylacteries
• future tense: will phylactery
• perfect tense: have phylacteried
• continuous tense: is phylacterying
• singular: phylactery
• positive degree: phylactery
• infinitive: to phylactery
• gerund: phylacterying
• participle: phylacterying

Origin and Evolution of phylactery

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'phylactery' originates from the Greek word 'phylakterion' meaning an amulet or charm.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in ancient Greece to refer to objects worn as protective amulets, the term 'phylactery' later became associated with small boxes containing religious texts worn by Jewish worshippers during prayer. Over time, the word has evolved to refer to any object believed to have magical or protective powers.