n.
Pronunciation: ' ta-l ə s-m ə n, -l ə z-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -mans
Etymology: French talisman or Spanish talismán or Italian talismano; all from Arabic ṭ ilsam, from Middle Greek telesma, from Greek, consecration, from telein to initiate into the mysteries, complete, from telos end ― more at TELOS
Date: 1638
1 : an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune
2 : something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects
– tal · is · man · ic \ ˌ ta-l ə s- ' ma-nik, -l ə z- \ adjective
– tal · is · man · i · cal · ly \ -ni-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb