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
1
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
1
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- shazams
- Past tense
- shazammed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.
Class of 1940
shazam joined the language around 1940.
See the full Class of 1940 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
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.
