Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
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 certain powers.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A mullah (Islamic religious scholar).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: India, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To adorn with a talisman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a trinket or piece of jewelry usually hung about the neck and thought to be a magical protection against evil or disease
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: amulet
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: charm, good luck charm
Narrower terms: grigri, gres-gris, greegree
History
From French talisman, partly from Arabic طِلَّسْم (ṭillasm, “payment”), 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.
Uncertain. Perhaps a corruption of some Arabic word.
Across languages
115 source translations are retained for this English entry.
