abraxas

noun

abrax·​as

ə-ˈbrak-səs

1

—used as a charm on an amulet or talisman in Europe, Asia Minor, and North Africa from the second century b.c. until the 13th century

2

or abraxas stone plural abraxases or abraxas stones : a gem engraved with the word abraxas

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin Abraxas, a Gnostic deity, borrowed from Greek Abrasax, Abraxas; perhaps regarded as a charm from the numerical value of the Greek letters, which is 365

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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