hocus-pocus

1 of 2

noun

ho·​cus-po·​cus ËŒhō-kÉ™s-Ë?pō-kÉ™s How to pronounce hocus-pocus (audio)
Synonyms of hocus-pocusnext
1
: sleight of hand
2
: nonsense or sham used especially to cloak deception

hocus-pocus

2 of 2

verb

hocus-pocussed or hocus-pocused; hocus-pocussing or hocus-pocusing

transitive verb

: to play tricks on

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of hocus-pocus in a Sentence

Noun with some well-crafted hocus-pocus, the illusionist made the dove disappear from his hands
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
One of the important things Conclave does is to slowly peel back archaic layers to reveal what all the hocus-pocus represents in this day and age. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from hocus pocus, imitation Latin phrase used by jugglers

First Known Use

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hocus-pocus was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near hocus-pocus

hocus

hocus-pocus

hod

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Cite this Entry

“Hocus-pocus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hocus-pocus. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

hocus-pocus

noun
ho·​cus-po·​cus
ËŒhō-kÉ™-Ë?spō-kÉ™s
1
: a magic trick
2
: nonsense used to deceive
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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