Etymology

magic bullet

Today it means: A simple remedy for a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease. Full definition →

German Zauberkugel
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The story

  1. German · calque ofZauberkugel
  2. English todaymagic bullet

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

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.