magic (English)

Where does "magic" come from?

The word 'magic' traces its roots back to the Proto-Indo-European root *meh₂gʰ-, meaning 'to be able' or 'to have power.' It evolved through Ancient Iranian and Greek, referring originally to the wise priests known as magi, before being adapted into Latin and Old French. Eventually, it entered English as 'magik,' where it replaced older Germanic terms to describe the manipulation of natural forces and supernatural phenomena.

Full etymology tree

• magic (English), 'Having supernatural talents, properties or qualities attributed to magic.'
  • inherited magik (Middle English), 'Information about the forces of nature and the practice of manipulating these for occult ends; magic, sorcery.'
    • borrowed magique (Old French)
      • inherited magica (Latin), 'inflection of magicus:'
        • borrowed μαγικός (magikós) (Ancient Greek), 'magical'
          • derived μάγος (mágos) (Ancient Greek), 'magical'
            • borrowed 𐎶𐎦𐏁 (maguš) (Old Persian), 'Mazdean priest'
              • inherited *magúš (Proto-Iranian)
                • inherited *magʰúš (Proto-Indo-Iranian)
                  • inherited *megʰ-ú-s (Proto-Indo-European)
                    • derived *megʰ- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to be able'
          • suffix -ικός (-ikós) (Ancient Greek), 'Added to noun stems to form adjectives: of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic'

Direct ancestors

• magik (Middle English)
• magicus (Latin)
• μαγικός (Ancient Greek)
• megʰ- (Proto-Indo-European)
• gealdor (Old English)
• galder (Middle English)

Updated July 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris