Phylactery Definition
Other Word Forms of Phylactery
Noun
Origin of Phylactery
Recorded since circa 1380, Middle English, philaterie, either from Old French filatiere (12c.), or via Medieval Latin philaterium, an alteration of Late Latin phylacterium (“reliquary"), from Ancient Greek φυλακτήριον (phulaktÄ“rion, “safeguard, amulet"), via adjective φυλακτήριος (phulaktÄ“rios, “serving as a protection"), from φυλακτήρ (phulaktÄ“r, “watcher, guard"), itself from φυλάσσω (phulassō, “guard or ward off"), from φύλαξ (phulaks, “a guard").
From Wiktionary
Middle English filaterie, philacterie from Old French filatiere from Late Latin phylactērium from Greek phulaktērion guard's post, safeguard, phylactery from phulaktēr guard from phulax phulak-
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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