Heptagram
/ˈhɛp.tə.ɡræm/noun
A seven-pointed star-shaped figure formed by connecting seven points on a circle.
Did you know?Although heptagrams appear in modern occult and magical symbolism, the word itself is built from ordinary ancient Greek terms for “seven” and “written mark,” not from a secret spell.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*septm̥
“The reconstructed numeral root meaning “seven.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἑπτά (hepta)
““Seven,” descending from the Indo-European numeral root.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γράφειν (graphein)
““To scratch, carve, or write”; the source of the second element in -gram.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γράμμα (gramma)
““Something written,” a letter, written mark, or inscription.”
19th Century
English
heptagram
“A technical term for a seven-pointed star or seven-sided star polygon.”
Modern English
English
heptagram
“A seven-pointed geometric figure, also used in various religious, esoteric, and symbolic traditions.”