mascot

Meaning

Noun

1. Something thought to bring good luck.
2. Something, especially a person or animal, used to symbolize a sports team, company, organization or other group.
3. A person engaged by an organization to portray its mascot in costume.
4. A personality type characterized by reliance on humor and positivity to wish away conflicts and attempt to defuse potentially violent situations.

Verb

To act as a mascot (for).

Synonyms

talisman

amulet

charm

fetish

luck piece

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmæsˌkɒt/

Etymology

Borrowed from French mascotte, from Occitan mascòta (“sortilege”), feminine diminutive of masca (“witch”), from Old Occitan masca, from Medieval Latin masca (“specter, nightmare”). More at mask.