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prestidigitator

prestidigitator

1 9.9
A person who does magic tricks with cards and coins to entertain people
  • noun
  • /ˌprɛstəˈdɪdʒɪˌteɪtər/
translation icon : prestidigitador
  • The prestidigitator amazed the audience with his incredible sleight-of-hand tricks.

Examples

  • Your Highness, lords, ladies and jellyspoons, it is a privilege to bring to you in person... the one and only renowned prestidigitator... and entrepreneur par excellence, Quatro the Great.

  • That's right, Pennsylvania's favorite political-prop prestidigitator is at it again, this time putting Pignelope's pedal to the metal against the PoliticIt tour bus.

    Blog text (2)
  • You've never seen a prestidigitator in action?

    Blog text (14)
  • She also considers herself a bit of a shutterbug And a prestidigitator.

  • I'm a prestidigitator.

  • My collection spans the works of reason's most adroit prestidigitators.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The more convincing the painting, the greater the paradox that it was but a reflection or shadow, and the more the painter looked like a prestidigitator.

    Academic text (2002)
  • I thought of "prestidigitator," "premonstratensian," "preputial," "pretzel," and "prestissimo."

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Behold, a touch of magic from a prestidigitator who will amaze you with his gravity-defying derring-do, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Orlando the Magician!

  • Ink-stained prestidigitators as gifted as Ben Hecht and Herman Mankiewicz wrote scenes and sequences for films on which they received (and perhaps wished) no credit.

    Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

magician
vsprestidigitator
245 3.6

A person who does tricks that look like magic or who people think has real powers

focuses on sleight of hand tricks rather than claimed real magical powers
illusionist
vsprestidigitator
16 6.9

A performer who entertains people by doing magic tricks like making things appear or disappear

focuses on sleight of hand rather than large staged illusions
conjurer
vsprestidigitator
4 8.2

A person who performs magic tricks to entertain people

emphasizes sleight of hand rather than broad visual spectacle
conjuror
vsprestidigitator
1 7.2

A person who entertains people by doing magic tricks

emphasizes sleight of hand rather than general trick performance

How Skilled

illusionist
16 6.9
prestidigitator
1 9.9
magician
245 3.6

Surface Forms

Etymology

Prestidigitator comes from parts meaning 'quick' (presto) and 'finger' (digit). So a prestidigitator is a 'quick-fingered' person who uses fast hands to perform magic tricks and amaze the audience.