1. a small household idol or image used in ancient Hebrew and other Semitic religions
Usage: biblical; historical

Examples

• Rachel stole her father’s teraphim when she fled with Jacob.
• The teraph was considered a protective household deity.
• Archaeological excavations have uncovered several teraphim from ancient sites.
• The biblical account mentions teraphim being used for divination.
• Many families kept a teraph as part of their religious practices.
• The prophet condemned the worship of teraphim as idolatry.