7 October 2018

abraxas

[uh-brak-suh s]

noun

1. a word of unknown significance found on charms, especially amulets, of the late Greco-Roman world and linked with both Gnostic beliefs and magical practices by the early church fathers.

Origin of abraxas

Greek From the Greek word abráxas, abrasáx, of obscure origin; the combined numerical value of the Gk letters is 365, an important figure in numerology

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for abraxas

Historical Examples

In this connexion the name abraxas and the abraxas gems must be remembered.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3
Various

abraxas -stones were so called from having the word abraxas or Abrasax engraved on them.
Finger-Ring Lore
William Jones

abraxas stones, stones with cabalistic figures on them used as talismans.
The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Edited by Rev. James Wood

Anagram

Arab sax
bars a ax

Today’s quote

As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can do as they please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome.

– Noam Chomsky

On this day

7 October 1849 – death of Edgar Allan Poe, American poet and novelist, The Raven. Born 19 January 1809.

7 October 1913 – Henry Ford implements the moving assembly line … changing the face of manufacturing forever.

7 October 1931 – birth of Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop of South Africa. Won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

7 October 2001 – United States invades Afghanistan as they hunt for Osama Bin Laden and to take down the Taliban government for allowing him to live there. It was nearly 10 years later, in 2011, that US Special Forces captured and killed Bin Laden in Pakistan.