talisman - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From French talisman, partly from Arabic طِلَّسْم (ṭillasm), from Ancient Greek τέλεσμα (télesma, “payment”); and partly directly from Byzantine Greek τέλεσμα (télesma, “talisman, religious rite, completion”), from τελέω (teléō, “to perform religious rites, to complete”), from τέλος (télos, “end, fulfillment, accomplishment, consummation, completion”). Doublet of telesm.

talisman (plural talismans)

  1. A magical object providing protection against ill will, or the supernatural, or conferring the wearer with a boon such as good luck, good health, or power(s).
    • 1916, Frank Baum, chapter 1, in Rinkitink in Oz:
      I have in my possession three Magic Talismans, which I have ever guarded with utmost care, keeping the knowledge of their existence from anyone else.
    • 1956, Delano Ames, chapter 17, in Crime out of Mind‎[1]:
      Dagobert gave him back his passport. He re-pocketed it indifferently; a talisman which had lost its potency.
    • 1997, John Peel, chapter 10, in War of the Daleks, page 233:
      She kept low, clutching the rifle she'd taken as though it were a magic talisman, as if it would somehow protect her even though she didn't fire it.
    • 2018 January 1, Donald McRae, “The Guardian footballer of the year 2017: Juan Mata”, in the Guardian‎[2]:
      Mata would soon whip in the cross that allowed Drogba to equalise – and Chelsea went on to win the Champions League, beating the German club on penalties, with their talisman from the Ivory Coast making history with the final spot-kick.

magical protective charms

talisman (third-person singular simple present talismans, present participle talismaning or talismanning, simple past and past participle talismaned or talismanned)

  1. (transitive) To adorn with a talisman.
    • 1832, D. M. Ferguson, “Legend”, in Evan Bane; A Highland Legend: and Other Poems, London: […] Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, section “Spirit of the Cloud”, page 54:
      The second in his saddle reeled, / Down thundered man and horse;— / Oft I essayed with blow and thrust, / As oft a foeman rolled in dust; / But, ah, what could a single arm, / Though talismaned by beauty’s charm, / Against a host?—for love—for life— / I waged awhile the desperate strife; / ’T was vain—I fell—was left for dead— / And rescued was th’ unwilling maid!
    • 1886 January, A. G. Laurie, “The Jew—From the Maccabees to Christ. Part IV.”, in Richard Eddy, editor, The Universalist Quarterly and General Review, new series, volume XXIII, Boston, Mass.: Universalist Publishing House, page 34:
      Lo, under their coats, amulets of idols! Possibly such charms talismaned every breast in his army.
    • 1899, The London Quarterly Review, page 328:
      They had a pitched battle in the spirit; the girl at length said, “You have something strong which I cannot endure,” and Madame Guyon confesses that she was talismaned by a piece of the true cross around her neck.
    • 1911, J[ames] Rendel Harris, “Introduction”, in The Odes and Psalms of Solomon: Published from the Syriac Version, 2nd edition, Cambridge: at the University Press, page 64:
      After some opening sentences, affirming that Joy, Grace and Love are the marks of the elect of God, we are informed that a letter was mysteriously sent down from heaven to earth, as if it had been shot from a bow. People rushed to read it; but it was talismaned by a seal, which none dared to break.
    • 1981, Marie Ponsot, “Late”, in Woman Poet, volume two (The East), Women-in-Literature, Incorporated, →ISBN, stanza II, page 43:
      It is yours still, and I go talismanned / By you to find you, though I’m lost & late.
    • 1992, Equinox, page 74:
      And for that moment I believe her, am transformed, / Talismanned by carved jade beads, / For that moment I know she has / The word from God direct.

Perhaps a corruption of some Arabic word.

talisman (plural talismans)

  1. (India, obsolete) A mullah (Islamic religious scholar).

From Arabic طِلَسْم (ṭilasm), from Ancient Greek τέλεσμα (télesma).

talisman c (singular definite talismanen, plural indefinite talismaner)

  1. talisman

Borrowed from French talisman, from Arabic طِلَسْم (ṭilasm), from Ancient Greek τέλεσμα (télesma).

talisman m (plural talismans or talismannen, diminutive talismannetje n)

  1. talisman, amulet [from 17th c.]

From Arabic طِلَّسْم (ṭillasm), from Ancient Greek τέλεσμα (télesma, “payment”).

talisman m (plural talismans)

  1. talisman
    Synonym: amulette

Borrowed from French talisman.

talisman n (plural talismane)

  1. talisman

From French talisman or Spanish talismán.

talìsmān m (Cyrillic spelling талѝсма̄н)

  1. talisman

talisman c

  1. a talisman