What does HOCUS mean?

hocus

Part of Speech: verb

Definition: to deceive or trick someone by using magic or sleight of hand

Pronunciations: US: /ˈhoʊ.kəs/; UK: /ˈhəʊ.kəs/

Origin and Usage: The word "hocus" originated in the early 17th century and is believed to come from the Latin phrase "hoc est corpus" which means "this is the body". It was used as a term by magicians who pretended to perform miracles by using sleight of hand. Over time, the word has come to mean any kind of deception or trickery.

Synonyms: deceive, trick, hoodwink, dupe, mislead

Related Words: focus, locus, cocus, jocus, mocus

Example Sentences:

• He tried to hocus the audience with his card tricks.
• The politician was accused of trying to hocus the voters with false promises.
• She realized too late that she had been hocus-pocused into buying a fake product.