Mawmet

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A carved or sculptured object worshipped as a deity or religious symbol, especially in depictions of non-Christian faiths
2. An image or representation venerated as divine, particularly in historical or literary contexts involving unfamiliar religions
3. A figure or object treated as sacred or godlike, often used in medieval texts to describe pagan idols

Etymology: The surprising twist here is that "mawmet" began as a religious insult aimed at Muhammad and ended up meaning a doll or puppet. Middle English "mawmet" came from Anglo-Norman "maumet", a shortened form of "mauhoumet" or "mahumet", which traces back to Andalusian Arabic "Maḥummad" and ultimately to the name "muḥammad". Medieval Christians often used these forms as a name for the Prophet, and in the same context English also had "Mahound", a doublet of the same name. Over time the sense shifted from the prophet to the idol. Because medieval writers pictured Muslims as worshippers of false images, "mawmet" came to mean an idol or false god, the carved figure that a heathen was supposed to bow before. From there it was applied to any small figure or effigy, and eventually to a puppet or doll. The modern word "mammet" is the same word with its vowel and spelling worn down, and "mawmet" is its archaic spelling.

Synonyms: idol, false god