prestidigitation
/ˌpɹɛstɪˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/
"prestidigitation" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“prestidigitation” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 16
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | prestidigitation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌpɹɛstɪˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/ |
| Letters | 16 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “prestidigitation” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
prestidigitation is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌpɹɛstɪˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for prestidigitation, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From 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”. The correct English form is prestidigitation, spelled P-R-E-S-T-I-D-I-G-I-T-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1A performance of or skill in performing magic or conjuring tricks with the hands.
- 2A show of skill or deceitful cleverness.
Etymology
From 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”.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “prestidigitation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-S-T-I-D-I-G-I-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌpɹɛstɪˌdɪd͡ʒɪˈteɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.