Iynx

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small woodpecker-like bird of the genus Iynx known for twisting its neck ; a charm or spell used in magic to bind someone to a desired love
2. The wryneck, a bird with a distinctive head-twisting display ; an enchantment or love charm used in ancient magical practice
3. A bird of the wryneck kind that twists its head when alarmed ; a magical incantation or talisman meant to attract or bewitch another person

Etymology: The Greek word "iynx" named a small woodpecker-like bird, the Eurasian wryneck, which is still the bird's scientific genus name, Jynx. The bird earned its name from its odd habit of twisting its neck and rolling its eyes when disturbed, a movement that ancient observers apparently found strange enough to make it a creature of magic. Greek writers used the same word for a spell or charm, and for passionate yearning, so the bird and the magic came to share one name. The connection to enchantment is the striking part. The bird was used in love magic, where it was bound to a wheel that was spun to draw a desired person toward the caster, and the bird's name came to mean the charm itself. The Greek word passed into Latin as "iynx", which kept both the bird and the spell senses. English borrowed the word from Latin, and the spelling "jynx" became the common form, meaning a jinx: a person or thing believed to bring bad luck. "Iynx" is an older spelling of the same word.