Home › Glossary › Letter A

Apotropaic chant

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A protective or warding verse, often incantatory, intended to repel evil spirits, misfortune, or malevolent forces through ritual language.

Detailed Definition
Poetry designed to serve as an incantation or protective charm, often employing repetitive structures, specific word choices, and rhythmic patterns believed to have power against harmful forces
Example
Example in poetry:
Apotropaic chant in ancient Greek “Ephesia Grammata”; apotropaic chant in African diasporic spirituals; apotropaic chant in Sylvia Plath’s incantatory repetitions; apotropaic chant wards off evil through rhythmic, ritual language
Additional Notes
Verse designed to ward off evil or misfortune through magical language. Ancient roots in protective incantations. Related to charm and spell poetry. Study alongside ritual poetry and invocation for context.
Also Known As
protective verse charm poetry
Skip to main content