# charm

/ˈtʃɑɹm/ (US) · /tʃˈɑːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/charm
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. attractive personality

noun · CEFR B1

the power or quality of pleasing or attracting people.

For teachers: the power or quality of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others through personality or appearance.

- The salesman used all his charm to convince the couple to buy the expensive car.
- Despite his lack of formal experience, his natural charm and ability to put people at ease made him an ideal candidate for the role.

### 2. jewellery

noun · CEFR B2

a small ornament worn on a chain or a bracelet.

For teachers: a small decorative trinket worn on a bracelet or necklace, often symbolising a memory or providing luck.

- She added a tiny silver heart charm to her bracelet to remember her trip to Paris.
- The heirloom bracelet was heavy with gold charms, each representing a significant milestone in her grandmother's long life.

### 3. magic spell

noun · CEFR B2

an object or a set of words that people believe has magic powers.

For teachers: an object, act, or incantation believed to possess occult or supernatural power, typically to bring good luck or protection.

- The old stories tell of a magic charm that could turn lead into gold.
- The villagers carried small pouches of dried herbs as a charm against the illness they believed was caused by mountain spirits.

### 4. finance

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a technical way to measure how the price of a financial contract changes over time.

For teachers: a second-order derivative of an option's value, measuring the rate of change of delta with respect to the passage of time.

- The trader looked at the charm to see how his position would change as the weekend approached.
- Institutional traders must monitor charm closely, as the time decay of delta can significantly alter a portfolio's hedge ratio over a non-trading period.

Usage: Used specifically in the context of 'Greeks' in options trading.

### 5. physics

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a special property of some very small particles in science.

For teachers: a quantum number representing the difference between the number of charm quarks and charm antiquarks in a particle.

- The physicist explained how the charm of a particle is conserved in certain reactions.
- The discovery of the J/psi meson provided the first experimental evidence for the existence of the charm quark.

### 6. to please or attract

verb · CEFR B1

to please someone very much or to use your personality to get what you want.

For teachers: to delight or fascinate someone; to use charisma to influence or persuade.

- He managed to charm the guards into letting him enter the building without an ID.
- The diplomat was known for his ability to charm even the most hostile negotiators into considering a compromise.

### 7. to use magic on

verb · CEFR B2

to use magic to control or protect someone or something.

For teachers: to influence or subdue a person or animal as if by magic or incantation.

- In the fairy tale, the witch tried to charm the prince so he would forget his home.
- The snake charmer sat on the rug, appearing to charm the cobra with the rhythmic movements of his flute.

## Examples

- The old cottage has a lot of charm.
- She used her natural charm to win over the clients during the first meeting.
- While the city's modern architecture is impressive, the true charm of the district lies in its narrow cobblestone streets and hidden courtyards that date back to the medieval era.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.