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open sesame
noun
open ses·a·me
ˌō-pən-ˈse-sə-mē
: something that unfailingly brings about a desired end
Examples of open sesame in a Sentence
Perfect test scores are an open sesame to the best schools.
it turned out that a simple “please” was the open sesame for charming the hotel manager into giving us a room with a better view
Recent Examples on the Web
For something cozy, but not basic: Ask Rabble Coffee for an open sesame: a latte with tahini, dates, orange, cinnamon and chili pepper.
—Arika Herron, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
But is an ‘Alexandria in the cloud’ really an open sesame?
—Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2023
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Word History
Etymology
from open sesame, the magical command used by Ali Baba to open the door of the robbers' den in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
First Known Use
1814, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near open sesame
Cite this Entry
“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20sesame. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
open sesame
noun
: something that always works to bring about a desired result
Etymology
from open sesame, the magical command used by Ali Baba to open the door of the robbers' den in the story Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
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