Phylactery

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Phylactery \Phy*lac"ter*y\, n.; pl. {Phylacteries}. [OE.
     filateri, OF. filatire, filatiere, F. phylact[`e]re, L.
     phylacterium, Gr. fylakth`rion, fr. fylakth`r a watcher,
     guard, fyla`ssein to watch, guard. Cf. {Philatory}.]
     1. Any charm or amulet worn as a preservative from danger or
        disease.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. 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]
  
     3. Among the primitive Christians, a case in which the relics
        of the dead were inclosed.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  phylactery
       n : (Judaism) either of two small leather cases containing texts
           from the Hebrew Scriptures (known collectively as
           tefillin); traditionally worn (on the forehead and the
           left arm) by Jewish men during morning prayer [syn: {tefillin}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  80 Moby Thesaurus words for "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