charisma

[ kuh-riz-muh ]
See synonyms for charisma on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural cha·ris·ma·ta [kuh-riz-muh-tuh]. /kəˈrɪz mə tə/.
  1. Theology. a divinely conferred gift or power.

  2. a spiritual power or personal quality that gives an individual influence or authority over large numbers of people.

  1. the special virtue of an office, function, position, etc., that confers or is thought to confer on the person holding it an unusual ability for leadership, worthiness of veneration, or the like.

Origin of charisma

1
First recorded in 1635–45; from Late Latin, from Greek, equivalent to char- (base of cháris “favor,” charízesthai “to favor”) + -isma -ism
  • Also char·ism [kar-iz-uhm]. /ˈkær ɪz əm/.

Other words for charisma

Words Nearby charisma

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use charisma in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for charisma

charisma

charism (ˈkærɪzəm)

/ (kəˈrɪzmə) /


noun
  1. a special personal quality or power of an individual making him capable of influencing or inspiring large numbers of people

  2. a quality inherent in a thing which inspires great enthusiasm and devotion

  1. Christianity a divinely bestowed power or talent

Origin of charisma

1
C17: from Church Latin, from Greek kharisma, from kharis grace, favour

Derived forms of charisma

  • charismatic (ˌkærɪzˈmætɪk), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for charisma

charisma

[ (kuh-riz-muh) ]


Extraordinary power and appeal of personality; natural ability to inspire a large following.

Notes for charisma

Political leaders such as John F. Kennedy, religious leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and entertainment figures such as Greta Garbo have all been described as charismatic.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.