Khamsa

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A significant emblem in numerous cultures that depicts a hand primarily known for its role as a protective charm against malevolent forces
2. This design often features a hand motif and serves as a spiritual symbol intended to offer protection and ward off harmful influences
3. An important cultural symbol resembling a hand, commonly used as an amulet to safeguard against evil and bring good fortune

Etymology: The hand-shaped amulet is named for the number five, and the name is the same as the fingers it depicts. In Arabic, "ḵamsa" simply means "five." Among Jews of Arabic origin, the word was applied to the fingers of the hand, and in Hebrew it took the form "khámsa," which is where the English term comes from. The amulet's name thus encodes its shape. A hand has five digits, so the number itself became a label for the object. The shape, rather than any written text, carries the protective meaning, and the form is widely recognised across the Middle East and North Africa, where it is worn or hung in homes and cars to ward off the evil eye.