wand

noun

ˈwänd 

1

: a slender staff carried in a procession : verge

2

: a slender rod used by conjurers and magicians

3

: a slat six feet by two inches used as a target in archery

also : a narrow strip of paper pasted vertically on a target face

4

: any of various pipelike devices

especially : the rigid tube between the hose and the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner

5

: a handheld device used to enter information (as from a bar code) into a computer

Examples of wand in a Sentence

The cashier used a wand to scan the bar code.

Recent Examples on the Web

First, take two photos of your head (one from the front and one from the top) for a macro view, then four photos of your scalp using a wand with a 60x magnification lens on the end. —Angela Moscaritolo, PC Magazine, 7 Mar. 2026

An Aurora Sinai spokesperson said in a March 5 statement the hospital’s internal review of the shooting found the building’s metal detectors were working, but staff members who did not use a handheld screening wand have been fired. —Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 6 Mar. 2026

Its owner has said that guests were patted down by security, scanned with a metal detector wand and required to walk through a metal detector at the entrance. —Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026

For the most success, use a soaker hose or watering wand and refresh mulch often, Lijee recommends. —Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, slender stick, from Old Norse vǫndr; probably akin to Old English windan to wind, twist — more at wind entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing wand

• magic wand

Rhymes for wand

• awned
• blond
• blonde
• bond
• conned
• dawned
• donned
• fond
• frond
• gond
• maund
• pawned

Kids Definition

wand

noun

ˈwänd 

1

: a slender rod used in performing magic

2

: a light rod or tube