talisman

Where does the word "talisman" come from? It comes from Byzantine Greek telesma, passing through Arabic and French before entering English (1630s).

Talisman’s story begins in Byzantine Greek: telesma meant “consecration, religious rite.” From Greek telos ("completion"); meant consecration, religious rite, or payment. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Arabic as tilasm. An object marked with magical signs, believed to bring luck or protection, borrowed from Byzantine Greek telesma. From there it passed into French as talisman by 1600s. Carried into French for an object believed to have magical power. It reached English by 1630s as talisman. Settled as the English word for a lucky charm. Today, talisman means an object believed to bring good luck or magical protection.

1. Stage 1 · Byzantine Greek · medieval telesma "consecration, religious rite", from Greek telos ("completion"); meant consecration, religious rite, or payment.
2. Stage 2 · Arabic · medieval tilasm "a magical protective object", an object marked with magical signs, believed to bring luck or protection, borrowed from Byzantine Greek telesma.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s talisman "a magical protective charm", carried into French for an object believed to have magical power.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1630s talisman "an object believed to bring luck or protection", settled as the English word for a lucky charm.