noun

sleight

SLYTE/slˈaɪt/

Skillful deception or trickery.

The magician relies on sleight of hand to fool the audience.

A close-up coin magician misdirects a spectator toward an apparently coin-filled fist while secretly retaining the coin in her other hand.

Etymology

sleightOld Norsecleverness, cunning, slyness

Old Norse sloegð named cleverness or cunning, and early English uses could mean wisdom or prudence. The trickery sense focuses that general cleverness on deceptive skill, especially nimble movements of the hands.

In context

Shin Lim2:08

sometimes the sleight of hand can look like the ink is like shifting moving so if I grab a random card if you just watch the ink

Reporter can’t figure out what’s happening

More examples

The budget hides the deficit through accounting sleight of hand.
The scam depends on verbal sleight rather than outright lies.
Her quick sleight of hand makes the coin seem to disappear.

Forms

sleight · sleights

Similar words

trickery: Emphasizes deceptive methods without necessarily suggesting skill or dexterity.
deception: Covers misleading others generally, including simple lies and concealment.
artifice: Suggests a deliberately contrived device rather than nimble execution.