means A slender rod, traditionally used by magicians, conductors, or fairy-tale wizards to direct attention, action, or supposed magic.

from From Old Norse 'vöndr,' meaning a thin, supple stick or switch, related to a Germanic root tied to winding or bending — the same family that gives us 'wend' and 'wind.' At its root, a wand was simply a pliant twig you could whip about; only later did it gain its aura of spells and ceremony.