talisman
Americannoun
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a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm.
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any amulet or charm.
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anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions.
noun
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a stone or other small object, usually inscribed or carved, believed to protect the wearer from evil influences
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anything thought to have magical or protective powers
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of talisman
First recorded in 1630–40; from French talisman, Spanish talismán or other Romance language, from Arabic ṭilasm, from Late Greek télesmon “completion, performance, consecrated object,” from Greek télesma “payment, payment to be made, outlay, expense,” a derivative of teleîn “to complete, perform” + -ma noun suffix of result. The final -n in the western Europen languages is unexplained.
Compare meaning
How does talisman compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A talisman is a charm that is supposed to ward off evil or illness. Your rabbit's foot key chain may be your lucky talisman. Of course, it wasn't so lucky for that rabbit. The word talisman has been around in English since the 1630s and it has roots in both Arabic and Greek words. A talisman is usually worn around the neck but could exist in other forms, like a ring or inscribed stone. You can think of a talisman as a good luck charm, but people tend to take talismans more seriously — as if they are empowered with magic to ward off evil spirits.
Vocabulary lists containing talisman
"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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Lord of the Flies
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"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Guimaraes would be the ideal figure to help lead this rebuild for Newcastle as the club's captain, talisman and heartbeat.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Church authorities note the baby Jesus isn’t presented as a talisman, but as Christ who also accompanies his people in cultural expressions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
The captain was their best seamer on day one in Nottingham and this situation - a game in the balance - was made for the talisman.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
On Monday, the U.S. got more good news when Christian Pulisic, its talisman, returned to training after missing 10 days with a calf injury.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
It had become a kind of talisman for me, a safeguard against the terrors of prison.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
