Dictionary

tricknology en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /tɹɪkˈnɒləd͡ʒi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ˈtɹɪ.kəˌnɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ according to Beynon
• /tɹɪkˈnɑləd͡ʒi/ (General-American)

Etymology

Blend of trick + technology, apparently coined by Nation of Islam founder Wallace Fard Muhammad. The term first appears in the spelling tricknollogy in the 1938 American Journal of Sociology article "The Voodoo Cult Among Negro Migrants in Detroit" by Erdmann Doane Beynon, who quotes the term from the "Secret Ritual of the Nation of Islam", which were lessons given by Muhammad at his "University of Islam" and preserved through oral tradition. Beynon describes it as '"[a] cult term pronounced "trickenollogy"' and paraphrased from the lesson that the '"[t]he illiteracy of the southern Negroes now seemed due to Caucasian "tricknollogy".'

Meanings

1. (countable, derogatory, qualifier:Nation of Islam, uncountable) Tactics employed by white people to subjugate black people.
   • In the genetic universe of Yakub's tricknology, such duping assumes the form of offspring whose ultimate purpose is to wreak havoc on their forebears. 1998, Michael Lieb, Children of Ezekiel, page 143:
   • I turn a stickup kid to a soldier, put him down with the cause / Make him feel real bold and more intelligent / Plus aware of the tricknology, the revolutionist / Grab your shit and follow me 2001, “Revolutionist”, in J-Love (music), Behold, performed by Guru, [Self-released]:
   • Whites had achieved their power and position through devious means and "tricknology." They had perpetuated "devilish acts" against black people through slavery, brutality, and lynching, and even by using alcohol and narcotics. 2009, Anthony B. Pinn, African American Religious Cultures, page 240:
2. (broadly, countable, uncountable) Synonym of trickery.
   • That's all gone, as is the unit rule, the favorite son, hokey floor demonstrations, and much of the rest of the tricknology and sham that have helped make political conventions, dull, disreputable, infuriating, and undemocratic. 1971 September 14, Nicholas von Hoffman, “Looking For Presidents”, in Robert Shnayerson, editor, Harper's Magazine, volume 243, number 1456, New York: Harper's Magazine Company, page 40:
   • [Dan Mannarino:] But Trump came out—The president came out and said "I would like New York to succeed. I may even give him [Zohran Mamdani] a little money". [Curtis Sliwa:] You really believe that, Dan? You know they wanted Zohran Mamdani to be the poster child for the midterm elections. Don't believe the tricknology. 2025 November 8, 4:43 from the start, in NYC mayoral candidate Sliwa talks post-election with Mamdani, spoken by Dan Mannarino and Curtis Sliwa, PIX11 News, via YouTube:

Forms

Synonyms

trickery

wikipedia: Nation of Islam · wikipedia: Wallace Fard Muhammad · wikipedia: American Journal of Sociology