Definition of "scarab" [scar•ab]

• A scarabaeid beetle, especially Scarabaeus sacer, regarded as sacred by the ancient Egyptians. (noun)
• A representation of this beetle, such as a ceramic or stone sculpture or a cut gem, used in ancient Egypt as a talisman and a symbol of the soul. Also called scarabaeus. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This scarab is invariably engraved with a special formula (chap. xxx.,"
• "Remember how I said my scarab was the most painful yet?"
• "Plunged into depression, she sought information about the traditions surrounding King Tut and came to believe that repatriating the scarab was the only way to break the alleged curse."