phylacter

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French phylactère,[1] from Middle French filatiere, philaterie, philatiere, and Old French filatiere, philatiere (amulet; reliquary; tefilla), from Late Latin phylacterium (amulet; reliquary; tefilla), from Koine Greek φῠλᾰκτήρῐον (phŭlăktḗrĭon, amulet; tefilla) (used in the New Testament to translate Hebrew תפילין (tefillin)), from Ancient Greek φῠλᾰκτήρῐον (phŭlăktḗrĭon, fortified outpost, watchman’s post; protection, safeguard), from φυλακτήρ (phulaktḗr, guard, watcher) + -ῐον (-ĭon, suffix forming nouns). Φυλακτήρ (Phulaktḗr) is derived from φυλακ- (phulak-) (the stem of φῠλᾰ́σσω (phŭlắssō, to guard, watch; to defend, protect)) + -τήρ (-tḗr, suffix forming masculine agent nouns); and φῠλᾰ́σσω (phŭlắssō) from φῠ́λᾰξ (phŭ́lăx, guard, sentry), probably Pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

Noun

phylacter (plural phylacters)

  1. (obsolete) Synonym of phylactery.
    • 1636, George Sandys, Christ's Passion (Annotations)
      Men full of appearing sanctity , observant to traditions , and skilful expositors of the Mosaical Law , wearing the precepts thereof in phylacters (narrow scrolls of parchment) bound about their brows and above their left elbows

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ phylacter, n.”, in OED Online , Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.

Further reading

Welsh

Alternative forms

  • phylacteri, (preferred spelling of Geiriadur yr Academi) ffylacter

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin phylactērium (phylactery), from Ancient Greek φῠλᾰκτήρῐον (phŭlăktḗrĭon, amulet).

Noun

phylacter f (plural phylacterau, not mutable)

  1. (rare, Judaism, chiefly in the plural) phylactery

References

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “phylacterau”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies