A gimmick is a device constructed to create an illusion, facilitate secret actions, or shape perceptions during magical and mentalist performances. Gimmicks are often concealed apparatuses or engineered objects that enable effects otherwise impossible by sleight-of-hand, misdirection, or psychological subtlety. Gimmicks can range from intricate mechanical props to simple, everyday items modified for covert use, each designed to remain undetected by audiences while amplifying the performer’s apparent skill. Gimmicks are distinguished by their capacity to combine deception with technical precision, allowing for execution of effects that appear miraculous.

Gimmicks often exploit principles of physics, engineering, and human cognition, enabling performers to manipulate objects, reveal hidden information, or produce astonishing transformations. The etymology of “gimmick” traces to early twentieth-century American slang, likely originating as a term for a magician’s secret device or apparatus, and may be an anagram of “magic.” The scientific design of gimmicks ensures reliability and repeatability, while the gimmick’s concealment underpins the magical secrecy.