hamsa en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈhæm.sə/
- /ˈhɑm.sə/
Etymology
Borrowed from Hebrew חַמְסָה (khámsa), from Arabic خَمْسَة (ḵamsa, “five”), used among Jews of Arabic origin for the fingers on the hand.
Meanings
-
The Hand of Fatima.
Reverence for the amulets cuts across religious boundaries. Jews come for Kabbalistic bracelets, glass hamsas or strings of ceramic pomegranates.
2017 February 22, Sam Kestenbaum, “A Brooklyn Store That Specializes in the Evil Eye”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 16 Jan 2021:Variously associated with qualities ranging from warding off evil to promoting fertility, the open hand of the hamsa is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia and is recognized the world over.
2020 November 25, Tanya Dukes, “Gilt-y Pleasures: Holiday Gift Ideas for the Jewelry Lover”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 25 Jun 2021:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chamsa | alternative | lexicographic | |
| hamsas | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| khamsah | alternative | lexicographic | |
| khamsa | alternative | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Hypernyms
Translations (8)
ar خَمْسَة (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · pt hamsá (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · es jamsa (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · pt chamsá (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · fr khamsa (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · he חמסה (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · ca hamsa (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima) · pl chamsa (Hand of Fatima — see also Hand of Fatima)