talisman

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 18, 2025 is: talisman \TAL-iss-mun\ noun A talisman is an object (such as a ring or stone) that is believed to have magic powers and to cause good things to happen to the person who has it. // In ancient times, the gemstone was worn as a talisman to ward off evil. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/talisman) Examples: “Brianna takes a picture of the shell on the beach, then holds it in her hand, staring as if at a talisman.” — Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025 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](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mojo) and [amulet](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amulet), [periapt](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/periapt) and [phylactery](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phylactery), to name just a few. Talisman is another, and the mystery of its origins reflects the [ubiquity](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/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].”