Vanishing

/ˈvænɪʃɪŋ/ verb, adjective

Definition

Disappearing suddenly or completely, ceasing to exist or becoming impossible to find.

Etymology

From Old French 'vaniss-' (empty), derived from Latin 'vanitas' meaning 'emptiness.' The word literally means 'becoming empty or invisible.'

Kelly Says

Magic tricks use 'vanishing' because our brains are terrible at tracking moving objects in space—magicians exploit how your eyes work, making things 'disappear' by controlling your attention, not actually moving the object.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.