Pentagram vs. Pentacle

 
Pentagrams & Pentacles: What's the Difference?

A Pentagram is a five-pointed star. A pentacle is a five-pointed star encased in a circle. The word pentacle comes from the combination of the two words: pentagram and circle. Even though there is a clear difference in definition, the word pentagram is used interchangeably.


The pentagram/pentacle is the most recognizable and misunderstood symbol in the world. It dates back to Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician and philosopher. He said that the number five was the number of Man because of the five-fold division of the body. He used the pentagram/pentacle to symbolize the five elements that made up man: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit.

For witches, it is a symbol of magical protection.