# menat

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. In Ancient Egypt, a heavy beaded necklace and musical instrument with a crescent-shaped plate in the front and a keyhole-shaped amuletic counterweight in the rear, considered sacred to Hathor.
2. The keyhole-shaped counterweight of such a necklace, considered an amulet to secure divine protection and to ensure fertility.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Egyptian mnjt in the form of the 19th-century Lepsius-style transcription menȧt.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/menat
