wand

noun

ˈwänd 

1

: a slender staff carried in a procession : verge

2

: a slender rod used by conjurers and magicians

3

: a slat six feet by two inches used as a target in archery

also : a narrow strip of paper pasted vertically on a target face

4

: any of various pipelike devices

especially : the rigid tube between the hose and the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner

5

: a handheld device used to enter information (as from a bar code) into a computer

Examples of wand in a Sentence

The cashier used a wand to scan the bar code.

Recent Examples on the Web

That said, red-light-therapy wands, especially those made for at-home use, are generally regarded as safe, gentle, and very low risk. —Emily Orofino, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024

The wand itself acts as a fast-drying hair dryer, and its slim body is easy to pack in a suitcase or carry-on luggage. —Alyssa Brascia, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Emotions ran high through the entirety of the show, especially when Barrymore presented Grande with the original wand held by Glinda in the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, which has been locked on display in the Smithsonian Museum. —Alex Gonzalez, SPIN, 5 Dec. 2024

While holding both Barrymore’s hand and Glinda’s wand from The Wizard of Oz ( yes, really — a museum loaned it out), Grande expressed her admiration for the talk-show host and fellow former child star. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, slender stick, from Old Norse vǫndr; probably akin to Old English windan to wind, twist — more at wind entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing wand

• magic wand

Kids Definition

wand

noun

ˈwänd 

1

: a slender rod used in performing magic

2

: a light rod or tube