apotropaic
adjective
apo·tro·pa·ic
ˌa-pə-trō-ˈpā-ik 
: designed to avert evil
an apotropaic ritual
Examples of apotropaic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The carvings, which are formally known as apotropaic marks, were at the time believed to provide ritual protection against evil.
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Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
Witches’ Marks Protected Spaces from Evil Allison C. Meier
March 8, 2019
Throughout history, people tried to protect spaces from evil with apotropaic marks, ritual concealments, and other charms.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2024
The logic of substitution is common to folk magic around the world and might have been central to apotropaic magic, too.
—Geoff Manaugh, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2019
The witches’ marks, also known as apotropaic marks, are ritual protection symbols carved to protect against witchcraft.
—Fox News, 31 Oct. 2019
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Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
Witches’ Marks Protected Spaces from Evil Allison C. Meier
March 8, 2019
Throughout history, people tried to protect spaces from evil with apotropaic marks, ritual concealments, and other charms.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2024
The logic of substitution is common to folk magic around the world and might have been central to apotropaic magic, too.
—Geoff Manaugh, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2019
The witches’ marks, also known as apotropaic marks, are ritual protection symbols carved to protect against witchcraft.
—Fox News, 31 Oct. 2019
Dictionary Entries Near apotropaic
Cite this Entry
“Apotropaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apotropaic. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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