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
• 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

The real Hong-rang climbed a hanok wall in an attempt to remove the talisman, but slipped and fell. —Kayti Burt, Time, 16 May 2025

Initials and the brand’s Eye of the Tiger motif—a design with roots in Ottoman Empire and Eastern philosophy is a modern talisman for strength and vitality—motif can also be added to bags. —Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Instead, the statement lay in the proportion and the talismans worn close to the body. —Manglien Gangte, Vogue, 6 May 2025

Luckily, Steve’s faithful wolf, Dennis, escapes with the talisman and tucks it away from her grasp. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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