pentacle
3
9.9
- noun
- /ˈpɛn.tə.kəl/
- Literature
:
pentáculo
- On the east side of the pile lay a plain green felt cloth with pieces of mistletoe surrounding the pentacle.
- pentacle star
Examples
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A pentacle star is a symbol of the Freemasons, is it not, sir?
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The pentacle is a pagan religious icon.
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The arrangement of the coins at Dark Annie's feet... and also the locations of the bodies... form a pentacle star.
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O pentacle of power... be thou fortress and defense to Jenny Templeton... against all foes, visible and invisible... in every magical work.
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The pentacle is often used in rituals to represent the elements of earth, air, fire, and water.
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He placed the pentacle on the altar as part of the ceremonial preparations.
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Many people believe that a pentacle can offer protection during spiritual practices.
Synonyms
20
7.3
A five-pointed star made by drawing five straight lines that meet
1
9.5
A five-pointed star you draw by joining the corners of a five-sided shape with five straight lines
A pattern of a five-pointed star used as a symbol in magic or culture
Surface Forms
Morphology
pentacle = pent + acle
The element 'pent-' clearly signals 'five' (helpful for relating to a five-pointed figure), but the ending '-acle' is not a productive or transparent English suffix and the specialized symbolic meaning must be learned.
Etymology
Pentacle comes from the root penta- meaning 'five', the same penta- you see in pentagon. A pentacle is usually a five-pointed design used as a symbol, so the name helps you remember that it has five points like a star.