Standard Lemma guide

illusionist

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 L UW1 ZH AH0 N AH0 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who works with illusion or sleight of hand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One who deceives by magical or mystical means.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

someone who performs magic tricks to amuse an audience

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: magician, prestidigitator, conjurer, conjuror

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: performer, performing artist

Narrower terms: escapologist, escape expert, mind reader, telepathist, thought-reader

4

noun

Meaning 4

a person with unusual powers of foresight

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: visionary, seer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: intellectual, intellect

Narrower terms: anticipator, anticipant, diviner, fantast, futurist, forecaster, predictor, prognosticator, soothsayer

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English illusion Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English illusionist From illusion + -ist.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: աճպարար (ačparar) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Catalan: il·lusionista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Dutch: illusionist — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Esperanto: iluziisto — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • French: illusionniste — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Galician: enganadeiro — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Galician: ilusionista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • German: Illusionist — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • German: Illusionistin — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Hebrew: קוֹסֵם (kosém) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Ido: iluzionisto — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Italian: illusionista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Italian: prestigiatore — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Italian: prestidigitatore — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Latin: praestīgiātor — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Latin: praestīgiātrix — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Maltese: illużjonista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Polish: iluzjonista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Polish: iluzjonistka — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Portuguese: ilusionista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Romanian: iluzionist — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Romanian: iluzionistă — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Russian: иллюзиони́ст (illjuzioníst) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Russian: иллюзиони́стка (illjuzionístka) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Sanskrit: मायिन् (māyin) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Spanish: ilusionista — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Swedish: illusionist — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Ukrainian: ілюзіоні́ст (iljuzioníst) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Ukrainian: ілюзіоні́стка (iljuzionístka) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand
  • Ukrainian: маг (mah) — one who works with illusion or sleight of hand