The term's most common usage toay refers to a person's sexual attractiveness or raw charisma. But Animal magnetism (French: magnétisme animal) originally signified a magnetic fluid or ethereal medium residing in the bodies of animate beings, as postulated by Franz Mesmer. The term translates Mesmer's magnétisme animal. Mesmer chose the word "animal" to distinguish his supposed vital magnetic force from those referred to at that time as mineral magnetism, cosmic magnetism and planetary magnetism.