prestidigitation

American  

[pres-ti-dij-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌprɛs tɪˌdɪdʒ ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. sleight of hand; legerdemain.

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prestidigitation British  

/ ˌprɛstɪˌdɪdʒɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. another name for sleight of hand

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Other Word Forms

• prestidigitator
  noun
• prestidigitatorial
  adjective
• prestidigitatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of prestidigitation

First recorded in 1840–45; from French preste “nimble” (from Italian presto ) + Latin digit(us) “finger” + French -ation; or perhaps based on prestigiateur “juggler, conjurer,” derivative of Latin praestīgiae “juggler's tricks”; see presto, prestige, digit, -ation

Explanation

Prestidigitation is the process of doing a magic trick by hand, also called "sleight of hand." Do you see digits in prestidigitation? Digits are your fingers, so someone skilled at prestidigitation has some tricky fingers. One of the most famous prestidigitators in modern history was Howard Thurston, especially known for card tricks. In his most famous trick, audience members would pick cards from a deck. Thurston would place the deck in a glass on stage, and then he would make the chosen cards rise from the glass while he was still in the audience. That's impressive prestidigitation!

Example Sentences

And voters who come won’t be able to enter through the “Open Sesame” door or walk past the Palace of Mystery or the Parlor of Prestidigitation.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2020

Prestidigitation -- securing tickets to a sold-out play-off game or making last-minute reservations at the hottest restaurant -- can earn a hefty $100.

From Time Magazine Archive

Well, I had learned years ago in the Prestidigitation Age, or, "You too can amaze your friends with feats of Magic" that quite often Jim would go to great lengths to mystify anybody handy.

From All That Goes Up by Brooks, Kirby

The illustrations and descriptions we give this week, entitled "How to Break a Cord," "Prestidigitation," "Circle Divider," "Sulphurous Acid," "Production of Gas," "Aquatic Velocipede," "Several Toys," "Scientific Amusements," are from our excellent contemporary La Nature.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 483, April 4, 1885 by Various

It has been known under various names, such as White Magic, Conjuring, Natural Magic, and Prestidigitation.

From Magic In which are given clear and concise explanations of all the well-known illusions as well as many new ones. by Stanton, Ellis