interjection

shazam

shuh-ZAM

Shazam (interjection) means Said to announce that a magic trick or sudden transformation has just happened. Example: “He waved his hand over the hat and shouted, "Shazam!" as the rabbit appeared.”

interjection

Said to announce that a magic trick or sudden transformation has just happened.

"He waved his hand over the hat and shouted, "Shazam!" as the rabbit appeared."

verb

To identify a song playing nearby using the Shazam music-recognition app.

"I shazamed the track playing in the cafe to find out who sang it."

How to use shazam

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA magic word for "and suddenly it happened" — later borrowed as the name of a song-identifying app, which then became a verb.

Common pairings

shazam a song say shazam

Word forms

shazammed past tense, shazams singular

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He waved his hand over the hat and shouted, "_____!" as the rabbit appeared.

Etymology

Coined in 1940 by comic writer Bill Parker as an acronym built from six mythical strongmen: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.

· First attested 1940

Class of 1940 shazam joined the language around 1940.

acronym asperger automation bebop butch

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Frequently asked questions

What does “shazam” mean?

The word “shazam” means said to announce that a magic trick or sudden transformation has just happened. In plain terms, a magic word for "and suddenly it happened" — later borrowed as the name of a song-identifying app, which then became a verb.

How do you pronounce “shazam”?

“Shazam” is pronounced shuh-ZAM (/ʃəˈzæm/ in IPA).

How do you use “shazam” in a sentence?

Here is “shazam” used in a sentence: “He waved his hand over the hat and shouted, "Shazam!" as the rabbit appeared.”

What part of speech is “shazam”?

Depending on how it is used, “shazam” can be an interjection and a verb.

Where does the word “shazam” come from?

The word “shazam” dates back to around 1940. Coined in 1940 by comic writer Bill Parker as an acronym built from six mythical strongmen: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.

How many meanings does “shazam” have?

“Shazam” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: said to announce that a magic trick or sudden transformation has just happened.