apotropaic
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It's the Word of the Day podcast for May 13th. Today's word is apotropaic, spelled A-P-O-T-R-O-P-A-I-C. Apotropaic is an adjective. Something described as apotropaic is designed or intended to avert evil. Here's the word used in a sentence from the Darby Telegraph by Pete Pheasant.

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 mind-boggling array of items used in apotropaic magic designed to turn away harm or evil influence 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 apotrepaïn, meaning to turn away from or avert, combining apo, meaning away, with trepaïn, meaning to turn.

The magic of apo doesn't end there. Its influence is evident in many English words, including apology, apostrophe, apostle, and apocalypse. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski. Visit Merriam-Webster.com today for definitions, wordplay, and trending word lookups.