Charism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A special charm or allure that captivates others and evokes admiration
2. A quality that makes someone naturally attractive and able to influence others
3. An innate attractiveness or charm that draws others in and inspires devotion

Etymology: "Charism" is a learned borrowing from Ancient Greek "khárisma," meaning "grace" or "favour," a gift freely bestowed. The Greek noun comes from "kháris," which carried the sense of graciousness, kindness and the pleasing quality that made someone welcome. In the New Testament, "khárisma" was used for gifts of divine grace granted to believers, such as healing or prophecy, so the word was from the start tied to a special, God-given endowment rather than to ordinary good looks or manners. English took the Greek form "charisma" directly, and "charism" is the shorter doublet of that same word. Both come from one Greek source but reached English through different routes of adoption, so they have settled into related but distinct uses. "Charisma" became the everyday term for personal magnetism, while "charism" has kept closer to the older religious sense of a gift of grace, though it is now also used for the appeal that draws people in and inspires devotion.

Synonyms: gift, talent, appeal, charm, magnetism

Antonyms: repulsiveness, disagreeableness, unattractiveness, dullness, insipidity