legerdemain
lej-er-deh-MAYN
/ˌledʒ.ə.dəˈmeɪn/
Sleight of hand; display of skill or adroitness.
Can be used literally for magic or metaphorically for clever deception, such as financial or political maneuvering.
The story behind the word. From Middle French léger de main, meaning 'light of hand.' It entered English in the 15th century to describe the rapid movements of a juggler or magician.
Word relationships
- sleight of hand: Sleight of hand is the common English equivalent, whereas legerdemain is more formal and carries a stronger metaphorical sense of deception.
- candor: Candor means complete honesty and openness, the opposite of deceptive legerdemain.
Commonly confused with
- prestidigitation: Prestidigitation is almost exclusively literal, while legerdemain is frequently used metaphorically for clever tricks in business or politics.
Collocations
- financial legerdemain
- political legerdemain
- master of legerdemain
Example sentences
- "With swift legerdemain, she pulled the missing coin from behind the child's ear." A review of a classic magic show.
Memory hook
Think of a ledger of domain names being swapped quickly by a sneaky accountant. Lightness of hand.
When not to use
Do not use to describe physical strength or athletic feats; it is strictly about hand speed and coordination.
Fun facts
- In the 16th century, legerdemain was sometimes used as a mock title for a magician, as in 'Mr. Legerdemain.'
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.