magic bullet
nounEtymology Calque of German Zauberkugel. Coined by physician Paul Ehrlich as an allusion to the opera Der Freischütz. Compare silver bullet, from werewolf lore.
1
Idiomatic A simple remedy for a difficult or complex problem, especially a cure for a disease.
- In recent years, penicillin-based drugs have lost some of their magic bullet status due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- History shows that there's no magic bullet for a global financial crisis.
- Synonyms
- miracle, panacea, silver bullet, wonder drug