Word of the Day

: January 26, 2007

legerdemain

noun lej-er-duh-MAYN

What It Means

1 : sleight of hand

2 : a display of skill and adroitness

legerdemain in Context

It was an impressive feat of legerdemain for Shane to take a dollar bill and instantly turn it into twenty nickels.

Did You Know?

In Middle French, folks who were clever enough to fool others with fast-fingered illusions were described as "leger de main," literally "light of hand." English speakers condensed that phrase into a noun when they borrowed it in the 15th century and began using it as an alternative to the older "sleight of hand." (That term for dexterity or skill in using one's hands makes use of "sleight," an old word from Middle English that derives from an Old Norse word meaning "sly.") In more modern times, a feat of legerdemain can even be accomplished without using your hands, as in, for example "an impressive bit of financial legerdemain."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.