Make Your Point > Archived Issues > TALISMAN
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pronounce
TALISMAN:
Several ways are correct. I prefer "TAL iz mun."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
A talisman is a lucky charm, an object with a magical power.
Put it on a necklace, and you can call it, more specifically, an am___t.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Our word "talisman" traces back to the Byzantine Greek word telesma, meaning "a payment, or a religious ceremony."
When telesma entered French, then English as "talisman," it took on the meaning we use today: "an object that we believe gives us magical powers, especially for protection or for good luck."
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "That's his talisman;" "Poems are her talismans."
Other forms:
The adjective is "talismanic." Say it "TAL iz MAN ick." (Or, if you prefer, "talismanical.")
The adverb is "talismanically."
And although it might be tempting to pluralize "talisman" as "talismen," the plural form is just "talismans."
how to use it:
"Talisman" is a semi-common word, which makes it a great choice for both clarity and originality as you describe how some object seems magical.
You might refer to something as a talisman, or a talisman against some kind of harm: "The photo is her talisman and she carries it in her backpack;" "The photo is her talisman against loneliness."
Although we usually refer to small physical objects as talismans, we can get figurative and apply the word "talisman" to something else, like a person, a word, a phrase, an idea, a song, or a memory. Here's the Washington Post: "Forgiveness is not some talisman that magically cleanses wrongs."
examples:
"Before beginning these journeys I was given a talisman; a small owl carved from a whalebone by an artist called Steve Dilworth... He gave me the owl on the condition that I carried it with me, to help me see in the dark."
— Robert Macfarlane, Underland: A Deep Time Journey (as excerpted in The Guardian), 20 April 2019
"Over two decades, [Tom Brady] became a fixture in New England living rooms, a constant presence, a talisman embedded into the fabric of autumn."
— Adam Kilgore, Washington Post, 17 March 2020
has this page helped you understand "talisman"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "talisman" without saying "good-luck charm" or "thing that mystically protects you."
try it out:
My talisman is a 12-sided die. It feels and looks magical, plus it's great for making randomized decisions and joking about how Fate must have decreed them.
If you're like me, you might not have a literal belief in magic, but you still have some object that's precious to you and seems almost like a talisman. If so, what is it? If not, did you have one as a child?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for October is "Silly Smashings!"
In each issue this month, I'll give you the definition of a word I've concocted by smashing together two words we've studied before.
See if you can come up with the same silly smashing that I did.
For example, I'll say, "This noun means 'an extremely outdated, old-fashioned, ill-considered assumption that there are only two ways of dealing with a certain problem.'" And you'll say, "That's a troglodichotomy." (Which is a silly smashing of troglodyte and dichotomy.)
I'll list the answer at the bottom of each issue. Maybe your answer will match mine. Or maybe yours will be even better; if so, be sure to share it with me!
Try this one today:
This adjective describes people who are cheerful because they know what the future holds--and the future is always awesome.
review this word:
1. A near opposite of TALISMAN is
A. WIZARD.
B. VOODOO DOLL.
C. TALISWOMAN.
2. She held the stone as if it were a talisman, _____.
A. preparing to hurl it into the lake
B. clutching it in both hands to her chest
C. as far away from her body as possible
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Several ways are correct. I prefer "TAL iz mun."
A talisman is a lucky charm, an object with a magical power.
Our word "talisman" traces back to the Byzantine Greek word telesma, meaning "a payment, or a religious ceremony."
Part of speech:
"Talisman" is a semi-common word, which makes it a great choice for both clarity and originality as you describe how some object seems magical.
"Before beginning these journeys I was given a talisman; a small owl carved from a whalebone by an artist called Steve Dilworth... He gave me the owl on the condition that I carried it with me, to help me see in the dark."
Explain the meaning of "talisman" without saying "good-luck charm" or "thing that mystically protects you."
My talisman is a 12-sided die. It feels and looks magical, plus it's great for making randomized decisions and joking about how Fate must have decreed them.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
1. A near opposite of TALISMAN is
|