Amuletic

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌæm.jʊˈlɛtɪk/

Definitions

1. Characterized by the properties of a charm or talisman that is thought to provide safety and security
2. Having qualities associated with an object believed to offer protection against harm or evil forces
3. Pertaining to or suggesting a talisman thought to confer safety and ward off danger

Etymology: "Amuletic" is a plain formation: the adjective "amulet" with the suffix "-ic" added, producing a word meaning having the qualities of an amulet. "Amulet" itself is the older noun, and it is the part of the word carrying the history, so the suffix simply turns a thing into a description of its properties. The noun "amulet" came into English from French, which took it from Latin "amuletum," a term for a charm or protective object whose exact origin is uncertain. Ancient writers used the Latin word for objects worn against illness, injury and bad luck, and the modern sense of a protective charm on a cord or chain has stayed close to that original idea. Because "-ic" means "having the character of," an amuletic quality is one that seems to ward off harm, whether the thing in question is a physical charm or something that behaves like one. The word is rare, so it mostly appears in discussions of folklore, religious objects and the symbolic power given to everyday things.

Synonyms: protective, charismatic