prestidigitation
English
editEtymology
editFrom French prestidigitation, from French preste (“nimble, quick”) + Latin digitus (“finger”) + French -ation (process suffix). The word has a different origin from prestige, even though this in the past has meant “delusion, illusion, trick”.
Pronunciation
edit- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌpɹɛstɪˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌpɹɛstəˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -eɪʃən
Noun
editprestidigitation (countable and uncountable, plural prestidigitations)
- A performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands.
- Synonyms: sleight of hand, legerdemain
- My favorite prestidigitation was when he pulled the live dove out of that tiny scarf.
- 1897, Ethel Turner, The Child of the Children[1]:
- He borrowed another hat and displayed its perfect emptiness; he held up his empty hands: "This is one of the most marvellous bits of prestidigitation known," he said. "You have all seen this hat holds nothing in the world: I will now see if I can extract anything from its emptiness. You can all observe my hands go nowhere but into the hat, and they are both open and turned to you. Yet what is this?"
- (by extension) A show of skill or deceitful cleverness.
- Synonyms: sleight of hand, legerdemain
- His writing was peppered with verbal tricks and prestidigitation.
- 1908, Edith Wharton, The Verdict[2]:
- The more modest place became the picture better; yet, as my eyes grew accustomed to the half-light, all the characteristic qualities came out--all the hesitations disguised as audacities, the tricks of prestidigitation by which, with such consummate skill, he managed to divert attention from the real business of the picture to some pretty irrelevance of detail.
Related terms
editTranslations
editsleight of hand
|
deceitful cleverness
|
French
editEtymology
editFrom prestidigitateur + -tion.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editprestidigitation f (plural prestidigitations)
Related terms
editFurther reading
edit- “prestidigitation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from French
- English terms derived from French
- English 6-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/eɪʃən
- Rhymes:English/eɪʃən/6 syllables
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- en:Art
- French terms suffixed with -tion
- French 6-syllable words
- French terms with IPA pronunciation
- French terms with audio links
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns