legerdemain

Pronunciation

Noun C2 Mastery

Skillful trickery or deception, originally referring to sleight of hand in magic tricks.

"The company's profits turned out to be a kind of financial legerdemain rather than real growth."

Synonyms and antonyms

trickery sleight of hand

A rare, literary word, most often used to describe clever deception in politics or finance.

Which word fits the gap? "The company's profits turned out to be a kind of financial _____ rather than real growth."

Answer: legerdemain

In your own words, what does "legerdemain" mean?

Skillful trickery or deception, originally referring to sleight of hand in magic tricks.