pentagram

American  

[pen-tuh-gram] / ˈpɛn təˌgræm /

noun

1. a five-pointed, star-shaped figure made by extending the sides of a regular pentagon until they meet, used as an occult symbol by the Pythagoreans and later philosophers, by magicians, etc.

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pentagram British  

/ ˈpɛntəˌɡræm /

noun

1. a star-shaped figure formed by extending the sides of a regular pentagon to meet at five points

2. such a figure used as a magical or symbolic figure by the Pythagoreans, black magicians, etc

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Other Word Forms

• pentagrammatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pentagram

From the Greek word pentágrammon, dating back to 1825–35. See penta-, -gram ¹

Example Sentences

Some of the letters featured an antifascist symbol, a progress pride flag and a pentagram.

From Washington Times • Nov. 18, 2023

The collage includes a blood red, goat-headed mannequin and a young girl wearing a black shirt with a pentagram.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2023

A raised altar stands at one end, a white pentagram on the floor in front of it.

From BBC • May 19, 2023

"You hear 'Satanic cult,' and you think, goat's head and blood and pentagram on the floor and candles. I wanted to reinvent what that might look like."

From Salon • Sep. 10, 2022

As interesting as this was, to the Pythagoreans the most important property of the pentagram was not in this self-replication but was hidden within the lines of the star.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife