charm

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A quality that makes someone or something attractive and pleasing.

   The old town has a quiet charm that draws visitors back year after year.

2. 2
   verb

   To attract or delight someone, often by being pleasant and likeable.

   He charmed everyone at the dinner with his funny stories.

3. 3
   verb

   To persuade someone to do something by being charming.

   She charmed her parents into letting her stay out late.

4. 4
   noun

   A small object that is believed to bring good luck.

   She wore a tiny silver charm to bring her good luck in the exam.

5. 5
   noun

   A set of words or actions believed to have magical power.

   In the story, the witch recited a charm to put the prince to sleep.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Charm comes from Latin carmen, “song” or “incantation.” In the Middle Ages it meant an incantation or magic spell; the sense of an attractive or fascinating quality arose in the 17th century.

Synchronically a variant of chirm, but reflects Middle English charme (or unattested *charm), from Old English ċearm (“cry, alarm”), from Proto-West Germanic *karm, masculine variant of *karmi f, from Proto-Germanic *karmiz, *karm(j)az (“cry, lament, calling sound”). Near-doublet of chirm, which is from the feminine counterpart.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary