tal ‧ is ‧ man /ˈtæləzmən, ˈtælɪzmən/ BrE AmE noun ( plural talismans ) [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: Arabic tilsam , from Greek telesma , from telein 'to tell about religious secrets, finish' , from telos 'end' ]
an object that is believed to have magic powers to protect the person who owns it