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Definition of Silver bullet
Medically reviewed by Dr. Otari Nergadze, Neurosurgeon | Updated: January 2026
Silver bullet: Or magic bullet. 1. The perfect drug to cure a disease with no danger of side effects. The term magic bullet was first used in this sense by the German scientist Paul Ehrlich to describe antibody and, later, the drug salvarsan that he created to treat syphilis. 2. In general, a magical solution to any vexing problem.
See also: The Silver Bullet in Medicine.