wand

American  

[wond] / wɒnd /

noun

1. a slender stick or rod, especially one used by a magician, conjurer, or diviner.

2. a rod or staff carried as an emblem of one's office or authority.

3. a slender shoot, stem, or branch of a shrub or tree.

4. a small applicator for cosmetics, usually having a brush at the tip.

   She applied the mascara with a wand.

5. U.S. Archery. a slat 6 feet (183 centimeters) by 2 inches (5 centimeters) placed at a distance of 100 yards (91 meters) for men and 60 yards (55 meters) for women, and used as a target.

6. Also called wand reader.  an electronic device, in the form of a handheld rod, that can optically read coded data, as on a merchandise label or tag or the page of a book.

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wand British  

/ wɒnd /

noun

1. a slender supple stick or twig

2. a thin rod carried as a symbol of authority

3. a rod used by a magician, water diviner, etc

4. informal a conductor's baton

5. archery a marker used to show the distance at which the archer stands from the target

6. a hand-held electronic device, such as a light pen or bar-code reader, which is pointed at or passed over an item to read the data stored there

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Other Word Forms

• wandlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of wand

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Old Norse vǫndr; cognate with Gothic wandus

Example Sentences

A sighting of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chatting with Mickey Mouse, wand in hand, felt almost cathartic.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

TMZ, which has been hunting politicians during the congressional recess, spotted Graham eating a resort breakfast, walking around with a bubble wand, and getting on Space Mountain.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

The theater’s walk-up food window is serving pizza-inspired baked potatoes, a colored chocolate pretzel meant to mimic an asparagus pretzel wand, and more.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

With a wave of her wand and a few magic words, Evie disappears under the snow-covered ground outside her family’s home and is transported to a stunning underwater cosmos.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

In the story, Cinderella's fairy godmother waved her magic wand and made Cinderella a special pair of glass slippers to wear to the prince's ball.

From "The Cinderella Ballet Mystery: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #4" by Carolyn Keene

Related Words

• baton