Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of magical
Explanation
Something magical seems to work by way of some mysterious, unseen force. If you had magical powers, you could make annoying people disappear or instantly fill your room with adorable kittens. Wizards and witches are know for their magical and sometimes evil powers. However, a gorgeous sunset or a perfect day at Disney World can also feel magical. Magical comes from the Greek magikos, (also "magical"), from magos, "member of the learned and priestly class," probably stemming from the Proto-Indo-European magh-, "to have power."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In an Instagram post about the climb, Whisenant called it “a truly magical day that I’ll never forget.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"We should get somebody who could really sing and half act and I'll trust that I would be able to do something magical with that."
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Writing about culture means thinking about the world in magical terms.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
The TVs played scenes from the Harry Potter films and helped suspend disbelief where magical creatures were involved, and the lighting system aided in spellcasting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Like a magical mirror in a fairy tale, the glass would reflect the last person who held it.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
