Nazar
/ˈnɑː.zɑːr/noun
An amulet, often depicting an eye, believed to protect against the evil eye.
Did you know?The familiar blue-and-white Nazar amulet is especially associated with Turkey, while belief in the evil eye is far older and spans ancient Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cultures.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic period
Proto-Semitic
*n-ẓ-r
“To look, watch, or observe; the reconstructed consonantal root behind later Arabic forms.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
naẓar (نظر)
“Sight, looking, observation, or a gaze.”
Medieval Arabic and Persian usage
Arabic/Persian
naẓar / nazar
“A look or gaze, including the harmful “evil eye” directed through envious attention.”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
nazar
“The evil eye; also the protective charm associated with guarding against it.”
Modern English
English
nazar
“An eye-shaped amulet believed to protect its wearer from the evil eye.”