Word of the Day – Talisman

Talisman (noun)

tal-iz-man

a stone, ring, amulet or charm, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm.

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.

Example sentences

“she clutched the talisman in her pocket.”