Where does “magic” come from?
Magic comes from Middle English magyk, from Latin magicus, from Ancient Greek μαγικός, meaning of the Magi or their practices, derived from μάγος, referring to a member of the priestly caste.
magic (English): The application of rituals or actions, especially...
Definitions
- The application of rituals or actions, especially...
Ancestry of “magic”, step by step
magic traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English magyk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | magyk | Alternative form of magik |
| 2 | Old French | magique | — |
| 3 | Latin | magicus | magic, magical |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μαγικός | magical |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Μάγος | magician, and derogatorily sorcerer, trickster,... |
| 6 | Old Persian | 𐎶𐎦𐏁 | priest |
| 7 | Proto-Iranian | magúš | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | magʰúš | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | megʰ-ú-s | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | megʰ- | to be able |
via Middle English magik
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | magik | Information about the forces of nature and the... |
| 2 | German | Magiker | — |
via French magique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | magique | magic, magical |