Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

magic bullet

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.12 in modern English

Syllables: mag-ic bul-let
IPA

18

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A simple remedy for a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.

Example Sentences

"In recent years, penicillin-based drugs have lost some of their magic bullet status due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria."
"History shows that there's no magic bullet for a global financial crisis."

Etymology

Calque of German Zauberkugel. Coined by physician Paul Ehrlich as an allusion to the opera Der Freischütz. Compare silver bullet, from werewolf lore.

Inflected Forms

magic bullets (plural)

Synonyms

miracle panacea silver bullet wonder drug

Questions

What does magic bullet mean?: A simple remedy for a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.
Where does magic bullet come from?: Calque of German Zauberkugel. Coined by physician Paul Ehrlich as an allusion to the opera Der Freischütz. Compare silver bullet, from werewolf lore.

How to pronounce magic bullet

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “magic bullet”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “magic bullet”.
Repeat and practice — Say “magic bullet” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.