Greek word of the day

ταχυδακτυλουργός

(pronounced “tachi-dakti-lur-GOS”) 

Magician.

I love to say this word, it is a typical Greek tongue-twister. I also love the fact that you can break it down very easily into its roots. 

“Τάχυ” comes from “ταχύς,” the word for speedy.

“Δάκτυ” comes from “δάκτυλος,” the word for finger.

And “ουργός” is a suffix that indicates what kind of work someone does.

Hence a ”ταχυδακτυλουργός” is someone who does speedy things with his hands professionally.

Another word for magician is “ελαφροχέρης,” which translates literally as “the light-handed one” or more colloquially as “fingers.” And our “magician” is derived from the Greek word “μάγος,” or “magos,” but that refers to someone who practices magic as an art rather than commercially.

One more great thing about “ταχυδακτυλουργός” is its provenance. Greeks love to boast about how 70 percent of the words in English are derived from Greek words. But you would be surprised how many Greek words are derived from foreign languages. According to this online dictionary, “ταχυδακτυλουργός” is probably a translation of the French word “prestidigitateur.” Which brings us full circle.

Note: the Greek “x” is typically transliterated as “ch,” but this is not the “ch” of chair. It is a guttural sound that comes from the throat, the “ch” of the Hebrew expression “l’chaim,” or “to life.” The "gos" in this word sounds like "ghost."