Pentacle
/ˈpɛn.tə.kəl/noun
A five-pointed star or a magical symbol, especially one used in occult traditions.
Did you know?In medieval and Renaissance magic, a pentacle was often a talismanic diagram inscribed with divine names or symbols, not necessarily just a star shape.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
pente
“five”
Late Latin
Latin
pentaculum
“a small pentacle or five-pointed figure; a little five-sided or five-pointed object”
Old French
Old French
pentacle
“a magical figure or talisman”
Middle English
English
pentacle
“an occult figure or talisman, especially a five-pointed one”
Modern English
English
pentacle
“a five-pointed star or occult symbol, especially in modern esoteric usage”
Explore more surprising origins