Word of the Day

: December 15, 2021

talisman

noun TAL-iss-mun

What It Means

A talisman is something that is believed to have magic powers and to bring good fortune.

// In ancient times, the gemstone was worn as a talisman to avert evil.

See the entry >

talisman in Context

"Brooklyn-born [Margaret Wise Brown] … demonstrated her quirky personality early on, once toting a rabbit in a basket onto a train. (This rabbit became a talisman, as Brown wrote 26 books whose titles bore the words bunny or rabbit.)" — Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2021

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."