talisman

noun

tal·​is·​man ˈta-ləs-mən 

-ləz-

plural talismans

1

: an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune

2

: something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects

talismanic

ˌta-ləs-ˈma-nik 

-ləz-

adjective

talismanically

ˌta-ləs-ˈma-ni-k(ə-)lē 

-ləz-

adverb

Did you know?

The English language may have borrowed talisman from French, Spanish, or Italian; all three include similar-looking words for a lucky charm that derive from an Arabic word for a charm, ṭilsam. Ṭilsam traces to ancient Greek telein, which means "to initiate into the mysteries."

Synonyms

• amulet
• charm
• fetish
• fetich
• mascot
• mojo
• periapt
• phylactery

Examples of talisman in a Sentence

a pendant of white nephrite jade is often worn by Indians as a talisman to ward off heart disease

Recent Examples on the Web

Eventually, the family collected Yoni’s letters and published them as a book that became a talisman of national valor. —David Remnick, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024

Advertisement The plastic talisman on his left wrist is a memento of Kash’s birth on Nov. 27, in between the two playoff matches. —Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2023

And this talisman has ripped a hole in the fabric of space and time, hence the various Marvels, captains and otherwise, being teleported willy-nilly. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023

At Columbia, that history is reflected in the countless cultural talismans created by thousands of people over now 100 years. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Nov. 2023

Become a Subscriber The lesson was obvious: Whether the sorcerer or the talismans really had powers didn’t matter. —Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2023

This second, outsider artistic legacy is as a prized talisman representing the passionate, impoverished, working class labor of Vincent van Gogh, who couldn’t get the time of day from the Paris art world during his lifetime. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

Now their sorcerer was in custody, and his talismans were broken and burned. —Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2023

By the final page, Hermes has traced rock’s trajectory from teenage talisman to corporate cash cow to something approaching monumentality: the soundtrack of what used to be called the American Century. —Jeremy Lybarger, The New Republic, 17 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

French talisman or Spanish talismán or Italian talismano; all from Arabic ṭilsam, from Middle Greek telesma, from Greek, consecration, from telein to initiate into the mysteries, complete, from telos end — more at telos

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

talisman

noun

tal·​is·​man ˈtal-ə-smən 

-əz-mən

plural talismans

: a ring or stone carved with symbols and believed to have magical powers : charm