wand
Americannoun
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wands
plural
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a slender stick or rod, especially one used by a magician, conjurer, or diviner.
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a rod or staff carried as an emblem of one's office or authority.
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a slender shoot, stem, or branch of a shrub or tree.
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a small applicator for cosmetics, usually having a brush at the tip.
She applied the mascara with a wand.
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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.
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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.
noun
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a slender supple stick or twig
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a thin rod carried as a symbol of authority
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a rod used by a magician, water diviner, etc
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informal a conductor's baton
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archery a marker used to show the distance at which the archer stands from the target
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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
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of wand
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Old Norse vǫndr; cognate with Gothic wandus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It may be a useful tool for some people — but it isn’t a magic wand for improving your health.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Sahm warned such a move was "not a magic wand and it is a costly medicine."
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
In a recent press briefing, Warsh said the Fed cannot use a "magic wand" to undo years of above-target inflation and must stay patient as price growth cools gradually.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
“Everyone, repeat after me!” the Hufflepuff called, wand pointed at the creature.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
“I have you now!” the old woman shouted, aiming her wand right at Jack.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Butler said the best cat toys are the ones that offer a reward, like wands with strings, balls and catnip kicker toys.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
It’s time to channel our inner Harry Potter, pull out our magic wands, think big and remove the obstacles in our way to create a healthcare system that’s worthy of us.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
He watched a group of students as they dipped wands into a bucket of soap and raised them to the breeze.
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2025
They’ve sold dozens of the wands, which feature the logo of Huntr/x, for $25 to $40 apiece.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
Werfel thought, so during a furious thunderstorm he took Spurge out on the streets to watch the children jumping from rooftop to rooftop with their elaborate metal wands, trying to catch lightning bolts.
From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
