prestidigitation

noun

pres·​ti·​dig·​i·​ta·​tion ˌpre-stə-ˌdi-jə-ˈtā-shən 

: sleight of hand, legerdemain

prestidigitator

ˌpre-stə-ˈdi-jə-ˌtā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

The secret to performing magic tricks is all in the hands-or at least, that's what is suggested by the etymologies of prestidigitation and its two synonyms legerdemain and sleight of hand. The French word preste (from Italian presto) means "quick" or "nimble," and the Latin word digitus means "finger." Put them together and-presto!-you've got prestidigitation. Similarly, legerdemain was conjured up from the Middle French phrase leger de main, which translates to "light of hand." The third term, sleight of hand, involves the least etymological hocus-pocus; it simply joins "hand" with sleight, meaning "dexterity."

Synonyms

• conjuring
• hocus-pocus
• legerdemain
• magic

Examples of prestidigitation in a Sentence

Houdini's powers of prestidigitation remain legendary to this very day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Caleb weaves prestidigitation into most every snap. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2023

In this era of the prestidigitation that is digitation, the sheer, laundry-bag bulk of the contents of these archives is stunning. —Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 10 May 2023

But the magician must constantly update his tricks as the audience catches on, and new crises reveal the mechanisms behind the prestidigitation. —Justin E. H. Smith, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022

DelGaudio jettisoned most of the trappings of magic shows and used his prestidigitation skills in service of a meditation on identity. —Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2021

Talk about a feat of prestidigitation: Jordan Michelman recently turned water into a James Beard Award. —oregonlive, 3 June 2020

This is not some trick of rhetorical prestidigitation or a leap of logic. —Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 16 Oct. 2019

Crucially, monetary policy oriented around individuals should be easier to understand than the customary prestidigitation. —The Economist, 26 May 2018

His songs might be usefully interpreted through that past of mingled creativity and prestidigitation. —Milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

French, from prestidigitateur prestidigitator, from preste nimble, quick (from Italian presto) + Latin digitus finger — more at digit

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

prestidigitation

noun

pres·​ti·​dig·​i·​ta·​tion ˌpres-tə-ˌdij-ə-ˈtā-shən 

: sleight of hand sense 1

prestidigitator

-ˈdij-ə-ˌtāt-ər 

noun