apotropaic

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

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🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 2 minutes

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Summary

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 13, 2025 is:

apotropaic • \ap-uh-troh-PAY-ik\ • adjective

Something described as apotropaic is designed or intended to avert evil.

// The etchings are believed to be associated with ancient apotropaic rituals.

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Examples:

“Scholars ... say witches were believed to be attracted to the scent of a human shoe and, having entered one, found themselves trapped. Footwear is one of a mindboggling array of items used in apotropaic magic, designed to turn away harm or evil influence.” — Pete Pheasant, The Derby (England) Telegraph, 13 Mar. 2025

Did you know?

Apotropaic is a charming word, and not just because of its cadence. You see, this term is a literal descriptor for things believed to protect against evil. Apotropaic motifs can be found throughout history, from carvings of Greek Gorgons to charms worn to repel the evil eye. The word apotropaic comes from the Greek verb apotrépein, meaning “to turn away from, avert,” combining apo- (“away”) with trépein (“to turn”). The magic of apo- doesn’t end there: its influence is evident in many English words, including apology, apostrophe, apostle, and apocalypse.

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's the Word of the Day podcast for May 13th.
0:11.2	Today's word is apatropaeic, spelled A-P-O-T-R-O-P-A-I-C.
0:19.1	Apatropaeic is an adjective.
0:24.7	Something described as apatropaeic is designed or intended to avert evil. Here's the word used in a sentence from the Darby Telegraph by Pete Fessent. Scholars say
0:31.4	witches were believed to be attracted to the scent of a human shoe and, having entered one, found themselves trapped.
0:39.3	Footwear is one of a mind-boggling array of items used in apatromaic magic,
0:45.3	designed to turn away harm or evil influence.
0:49.3	Apatropaeic is a charming word, and not just because of its cadence.
0:53.3	You see, this term is a literal
0:56.0	descriptor for things believed to protect against evil. Apatropaeic motifs can be found throughout
1:02.8	history, from carvings of Greek gorgans to charms worn to repel the evil eye. The word apatropaeic comes from the Greek verb apatrepaein, meaning to turn
1:14.8	away from or avert, combining apo, meaning away, with trepaine, meaning to turn. The magic of
1:22.5	Apo doesn't end there. Its influence is evident in many English words, including Apology, apostrophe, apostle, and there. Its influence is evident in many English words, including apology, apostrophe, apostle,
1:30.5	and apocalypse. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
1:37.2	Visit Miriamwebster.com today for definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups.

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