phylactery

American  

[fi-lak-tuh-ree] / fɪˈlæk tə ri /

noun

plural

phylacteries

1. Judaism. either of two small, black, leather cubes containing a piece of parchment inscribed with verses 4–9 of Deuteronomy 6, 13–21 of Deuteronomy 11, and 1–16 of Exodus 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.

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

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

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phylactery British  

/ fɪˈlæktərɪ /

noun

1. 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

2. a reminder or aid to remembering

3. archaic an amulet or charm

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Other Word Forms

• phylacteric adjective
• phylacterical adjective
• phylacteried adjective

Etymology

Origin of phylactery

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

Example Sentences

"Please! You'll ruin my grass. Put that phylactery down! Aw, you broke it. "

From The Verge • Sep. 9, 2015

Next morning, Miss Scatcherd wrote in conspicuous characters on a piece of pasteboard the word “Slattern,” and bound it like a phylactery round Helen’s large, mild, intelligent, and benign-looking forehead.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

I unbound my frontlet, taking off the black phylactery, whose memorable sentence, written in white letters, had been visible to myself alone.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 10, No. 60, October, 1862 by Various

About his forehead was bound the phylactery of a Pharisee.

From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Miller, Elizabeth

Next morning, Miss Scatcherd wrote in conspicuous characters on a piece of pasteboard the word “Slattern,” and bound it like a phylactery round Helen’s large, mild, intelligent, and benign-looking forehead. 

From Jane Eyre by Townsend, F. H.