"sleight of hand; the performance of feats requiring dexterity and skill, particularly of the fingers," 1843, from French prestidigitation, which was coined along with prestidigitator (q.v.).
Entries linking to prestidigitation
prestidigitator n.
"a juggler; one who performs feats requiring dexterity and skill, particularly of the fingers," 1843, from French prestidigitateur, a hybrid coined 1830 by Jules de Rovère (who sought a new word, "qui s'accorderait mieux à ses nobles origines" to replace escamoteur and physicien), roughly based on Latin praestigiator "juggler" (see prestigious); influenced by Italian presto "quick," a conjuror's word (see presto), and by Latin digitus "finger" (see digit).