mascot
MAS-kot · noun
Origin
English borrowed "mascot" from French mascotte, which came from Occitan mascòta, meaning "sortilege" or a bit of magic — the feminine diminutive of masca, "witch." That word traces back to Old Occitan masca and Medieval Latin masca, meaning "specter" or "nightmare."
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Journey
The word began among witches and spectral nightmares, but by the time it settled into French as mascotte and passed into English, its meaning had lightened considerably, into a charm or figure thought to bring good luck.
Related words
It's connected to the English word "mask," both tracing back to the same Medieval Latin root, masca.