# magic

Pronunciation: say "MAJ-ik" US /ˈmæd͡ʒɪk/, UK /ˈmad͡ʒɪk/

## Noun

1. The supposed power to control events or nature by supernatural means, such as spells and rituals, and the practice of using it.
   - Simple: A special power, in stories or beliefs, to make impossible things happen using spells.
   - _The villagers turned to magic to protect their crops from blight._
   - _Ancient priests practiced magic to win the favor of their gods._
2. A special charm, exceptional skill, or mysterious way of working that produces remarkable results, especially when not fully understood.
   - Simple: A special charm, skill, or mysterious way of working that produces impressive results.
   - _The old theater still has a magic that draws crowds back year after year._
   - _Her cooking has a magic that no recipe can quite capture._
4. The art of performing tricks and illusions that seem impossible, to entertain an audience, or one such trick.
   - Simple: Tricks that seem impossible, done to entertain people, like pulling a rabbit from a hat.
   - _She practices magic, perfecting each illusion until the audience can't spot the trick._
   - _His stage magic relies on quick hands and clever distraction._
7. A particular spell or magical ability, including a game character's power to cast spells.
   - Simple: A spell or magic power, such as a character's ability to cast spells in a game.
   - _In the novel, each wizard masters one of the elemental magics, such as fire, water, or wind._
   - _The healer's magic drains quickly in long battles, so players have to save it for emergencies._

## Adjective

3. Having supernatural powers, properties, or qualities believed to come from magic.
   - Simple: Having special powers that seem to come from magic.
   - _Legends tell of a magic well whose water healed any wound._
   - _The witch brewed a magic potion to break the curse._
5. Producing extraordinary results, as if brought about by magic.
   - Simple: Working so well that the results seem impossible.
   - _There's no magic solution that fixes a struggling business overnight._
   - _The coach kept searching for the magic combination of players to win._
6. Concerned with conjuring and illusion as performed to entertain an audience.
   - Simple: Having to do with tricks and illusions done to entertain people.
   - _She enrolled in a magic workshop to learn sleight of hand._
   - _The magic trick fooled even the people in the front row._
8. Wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Very good, enjoyable, or wonderful.
   - _The whole trip was absolutely magic from start to finish._
   - _That weekend in the mountains with my old school friends was just magic._

## Verb

9. To make something appear, or change it, by magic or seemingly by magic.
   - Simple: To make or change something as if by magic.
   - _She magicked up a three-course meal from whatever was left in the fridge._
   - _Give her a few lamps and some fabric, and she can magic any dull room into a festive hall._

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Of a number or string value written directly into code, not defined as a named constant or variable.
- (adjective) Designating a number of protons or neutrons that gives an atomic nucleus exceptional stability, such as 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, and 126.

## Origin

It comes from Middle English 'magik', from Old French 'magique', from Latin 'magicus', from Ancient Greek 'magikós' ('magical'), which derives from 'mágos' ('magus'). It ultimately traces back to Old Iranian, probably from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to be able to, to help; power, sorcerer'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/magic (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).