Where did the term mascot come from and what does the word mean?

From the French Word "mascotte" which meant a kind of fairy spirit, a charm or talisman which warded off evil. It was used in the sense of a fairy helper in a French Opera called "La Mascotte" in 1881 which is when the English Word was coined. From there it started to be used for a "good luck animal" like a dalmatian at a fire station, and from there to be used for a person dressed up as a cutesy animal at sports matches and who serves as a cheerleader.