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?

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].”

Synonyms

• amulet

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

Making amends After escaping his captors, regaining his talismans, tracking down the rogue Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), and dealing with a Vortex, S2 finds Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) rebuilding the Dreaming, which had fallen into disrepair during his long absence. —ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025

Yet every time a talisman departed, a player whom the Bees had steadily developed would come to the fore and replace them. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025

Opponents are going to greater lengths to make life difficult for Chelsea’s talisman, while the expectation on him to be decisive has risen significantly. —Liam Twomey, New York Times, 19 June 2025

The Swedish talisman was not included in the travelling party for a tour of the Far East, which fuelled speculation and created some embarrassing moments for manager Eddie Howe. —Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025

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