Also 5 amalett, amlett, 7 amulete, -ett, ammulett, 8 amulette. [perh. in 15th c., a. Fr. amulette; but app. not in reg. use till after 1600, when adapted from L. amulētum (Pliny), a word of unknown origin, which has been conjecturally compared with mod. Arab. ḥimālah, -at, lit. ‘a carrier, bearer,’ now applied inter alia to a shoulder-belt or cord frequently used to secure a small Koran or prayer-book on the breast, regarded as an ‘amulet’; but the history of this word shows that the resemblance between it and L. amulētum purely fortuitous, and there exists no ground for ascribing the latter to an Arabic origin.]
1. Anything worn about the person as a charm or preventive against evil, mischief, disease, witchcraft, etc. (The 15th c. instances are doubtful.)
[1447. Bokenham, Lyvys of Seyntys, 151. Specyally for there ladyis sake They baladys or amalettys lyst to make.
1481. Howard Househ. Bks., 49. Item, for claspis and amlettes jd. ob.]
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), II. 229. A countercharm against al witchcraft and sorceries which kind of defensatiue is called properly Amuletum.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1657), 187. The onely amulet used in that credulous warfaring age.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 272. For amulets against Agues wee use the chips of Gallowes and places of Execution.
1774. Bryant, Mythol., II. 445. Teraphim … were lunar amulets.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, xxv. 523. A horn or rude image is worn … as an amulet.
† 2. Med. ‘Sometimes also applied … to all medicines, whether internal or external, whose virtue or manner of operation is occult.’ Chambers. Obs.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 132. Some pretend it is an Amulet.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Amuletic in medicine, is used by some writers for what is more frequently called an Amulet.
3. fig. A preservative, protection or charm.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xv. (1651), 140. He is our Amulet, our Sun, our sole comfort and refuge.
1684. Lady’s Call., I. ii. § 8. 15. A better amulet against delusion then the reading whole tomes of disputations.
1877. Farrar, Days of Youth, iii. 28. Righteousness will give you love … but it will not give you an invincible amulet against misfortune.
