phylactery : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: phylactery	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for phylactery
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
phylactery n (Judaism) either of two small leather cases containing texts from the Hebrew Scriptures (known collectively as tefillin); traditionally worn (on the forehead and the left arm) by Jewish men during morning prayer Synonym(s): phylactery, tefillin
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Phylactery \Phylac"tery\, n.; pl. {Phylacteries}. [OE. filateri, OF. filatire, filatiere, F. phylact[8a]re, L. phylacterium, Gr. [?], fr. [?] a watcher, guard, [?] to watch, guard. Cf. {Philatory}.] 1. Any charm or amulet worn as a preservative from danger or disease. 2. A small square box, made either of parchment or of black calfskin, containing slips of parchment or vellum on which are written the scriptural passages Exodus xiii. 2-10, and 11-17, Deut. vi. 4-9, 13-22. They are worn by Jews on the head and left arm, on week-day mornings, during the time of prayer. --Schaff-Herzog Encyc. 3. Among the primitive Christians, a case in which the relics of the dead were inclosed.