baetyl

noun

bae·​tyl

ˈbētᵊl

variants or baetulus

ˈbēchələs

or baetylus

ˈbētᵊləs

plural baetyls

-ᵊlz

or baetuli

-chəˌlī

or baetyli

-tᵊlˌī

: a roughly shaped stone (such as a meteorite) held sacred or worshipped as of divine origin

baetylic

(ˈ)bē¦tilik

adjective

Word History

Etymology

Latin baetulus, from Greek baitylos, a sacred meteorite

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

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