conjuring
Meaning
The performance of tricks which are seemingly magical, typically involving sleight of hand.
The practice of summoning a spirit or demon by invocation or spell.
Structure
Usage
The magician's expert conjuring left the audience in awe.
Ancient texts often describe rituals for the conjuring of spirits.
He practiced the art of conjuring, mastering card tricks and illusions.
Etymology
The word 'conjuring' originates from the Latin verb 'conjurare', meaning "to swear together, to conspire". This was formed from the prefix 'con-' (together) and 'jurare' (to swear). In medieval Latin and Old French, the term evolved to encompass the idea of invoking or summoning something by a sacred oath, particularly spirits or demons. By the 14th century, it entered English with this magical sense, and later, in the 16th century, its meaning expanded to include the performance of deceptive tricks that create the illusion of summoning or controlling supernatural forces.
Analysis
- con: A Latin prefix meaning "together, with". - jur: A Latin root from "jurare", meaning "to swear, to take an oath". - ing: An Old English suffix forming the present participle and verbal noun.