English Reference

Word

amulet

US/ˈæmjəɫət/

UK/ˈæmjʊlət/

Definition

n. an object, like a charm or a ring, that people believe has magical powers to protect them from bad luck or illness.

n. an object, such as a charm or ring, worn to ward off evil or bring good fortune. Often associated with protective talismans in various cultural and historical contexts.

Examples

“She wore a silver amulet around her neck for protection.”

“The museum displays a collection of ancient amulets made of gold and lapis lazuli, believed to have been used by pharaohs.”

“While modern jewelry is often purely decorative, many traditional cultures still view specific amulets as essential for maintaining spiritual balance and physical health.”

Examples

simple

“She wore a silver amulet around her neck for protection.”

contextual

“The museum displays a collection of ancient amulets made of gold and lapis lazuli, believed to have been used by pharaohs.”

complex

“While modern jewelry is often purely decorative, many traditional cultures still view specific amulets as essential for maintaining spiritual balance and physical health.”

Real-World Examples

“About 89m baht ($2.7m or £2m) was donated for temple renovations, with another 2.8m baht in payments for Buddhist amulets and other sacred objects, he said.”
The Guardian · 11 Sept 2026
“Police seized 35 gold amulets, along with about 1.5kg of gold bars and jewellery, worth an estimated 6.04 million baht, from Punyavee's home.”
BBC News · 11 Sept 2026
“The earliest phases also featured artifacts that clearly had been buried with the individuals: amphorae, incense cups, amulets, and beads, for instance.”
Ars Technica · 18 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle French amulette, from Latin amuletum.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference