Charism
/ˈkær.ɪzəm/noun
A spiritual gift or grace believed to be granted by God, especially in Christian theology.
Did you know?Charism comes from Greek *kharisma*, from *kharis* meaning “grace” or “favor,” and in early Christian usage it referred to a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gher-
“to like, desire, be pleased”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kharis
“grace, favor, kindness”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kharisma
“a favor freely given; a gift of grace”
Early Christianity
Greek
kharisma
“a spiritual gift bestowed by divine grace”
Modern English
English
charism
“a spiritual gift or extraordinary power believed to come from God”