Today's Word "apotropaic"
Published in Vocabulary
apotropaic \ae-peh-treh-PEY-ik\ (adjective) - Having the power or designed to ward off evil, as an apotropaic symbol or talisman.
"Lydia was fond of wearing apotropaic ankle-length dresses with long sleeves and a collars that rose to her chin."
From Greek "apotropaios," the adjective of the verb apotrepein "to ward off" comprising apo- "off, away" + trepein "to turn." The Proto-Indo-European root was trep- "to turn" with o-grade derivative tropos "turn, direction, way" and trope "turning, change." The latter was borrowed by English meaning a figure (turn) of speech. The same root apparently underlies French trouver "to find, invent" and "troubadour," referring to the wandering minstrels originating in Southern France in the Middle Ages and known for their inventive songs.
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