Did you know?
Whether your personal lucky charm takes the form of a pink heart, yellow moon, orange star, green clover, or something else, the English language has got you covered, offering a bowlful of synonyms for magical objects. There’s mojo and amulet, periapt and phylactery, to name just a few. Talisman is another, and the mystery of its origins reflects the ubiquity of magical charms across cultures, languages, and time. The English language may have borrowed talisman from French, Spanish, or Italian; all three include similar-looking words that in turn come from the Arabic word for a charm, ṭilsam. Ṭilsam traces back to the ancient Greek verb telein, which means “to initiate into the mysteries [secret religious rites].”
Examples of talisman in a Sentence
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 12 June 2026
Paths to the World Cup Haiti’s talisman and top scorer, Duckens Nazon, was born in a Parisian suburb and played with a series of French professional teams before being recruited to the English team Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017.
—Laurent Dubois, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Here, as ever, Kokopeli suggests that clinging to youthful talismans offers no protection against uncertainty, and reasserts the odd mix of disaffection and morbid glee produced by such reactionary impulses.
—Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The Egyptian icon is leaving Liverpool after a disappointing campaign, but remains his country’s talisman.
Egypt will just have to hope the 33-year-old striker has saved his best for the World Cup.
—James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for talisman
Cite this Entry
“Talisman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talisman. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
talisman
noun
