cantrip

[ kahn-trip ]

/ ˈkɑn trɪp /

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noun

Chiefly Scot. a magic spell; trick by sorcery.

Chiefly British. artful shamming meant to deceive.

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Origin of cantrip

1710–20; apparently dissimilated variant of Old English calcatrippe;see caltrop

Words nearby cantrip

cantorial, cantoris, Cantor set, Cantor's paradox, can't punch one's way out of a paper bag, cantrip, can't see beyond the end of one's nose., can't seem to, can't see the forest for the trees, can't stand, cant strip

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cantrip in a sentence

Gresham and Cantrip with their own friends can hardly make a Ministry as things are now unless Mr. Monk will join them.
The Prime Minister|Anthony Trollope
That exceedingly intelligent young nobleman Lord Cantrip was in earnest.
Phineas Finn|Anthony Trollope
"We shall weep over him, as over a fallen angel, if he leaves us," said Lady Cantrip.
Phineas Finn|Anthony Trollope
"We have been so happy to have you among us," said Lady Cantrip, looking at him with beseeching, almost loving eyes.
Phineas Finn|Anthony Trollope

When they had got thus far Lord Cantrip was standing close to the window of the room at Mr. Gresham's elbow.
Phineas Redux|Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for cantrip

cantrip

/ (ˈkæntrɪp) Scot /

noun

a magic spell

(often plural) a mischievous trick

adjective

(of an effect) produced by black magic

Word Origin for cantrip

C18: Scottish, of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012