Magic

How to spell magic

5 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce magic

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does magic mean?

1. nounThe supposed art of influencing events by mysterious or supernatural means, or the skill of performing illusions and tricks.
2. adjectiveHaving or appearing to have supernatural or wonderful powers.

Magic in a sentence

• noun

  The children believed the coin trick was real magic.

• adjective

  The story described a magic lamp that granted wishes.

• noun

  Folklore credits the old healer with powerful magic.

• adjective

  She waved what looked like a magic wand at the audience.

Where does magic come from?

Language of origin: Greek

The word travels back to the Greek magike, short for magike tekhne, meaning 'the art of the magoi'. The magoi were the magi, a learned priestly caste of ancient Persia famous for astrology and esoteric rites; their name passed into Greek and then into Latin as magicus. Old French reshaped it as magique, and English adopted it in the late 1300s with the sense of the supposed art of influencing events through hidden or supernatural power. The same root gives us 'magus' and the plural 'magi', the wise men of the Nativity story, as well as 'magician'. The spelling stays comfortably regular, with the soft 'g' before 'i' producing the familiar 'j' sound.

How the word is built

• mag- (from magus: a Persian priest or sorcerer)
• -ic (adjective/noun suffix forming 'pertaining to')