Magi
plural noun
null the Magi, in the Bible, the astrologers who paid homage to the young child Jesus, traditionally assumed to be three in number and to be named Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior.
Magi
American
[may-jahy, maj-ahy]
/ ˈmeɪ dʒaɪ, ˈmædʒ aɪ /
Or
magi
plural noun
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Magus
singular
-
null the Magi, in the Bible, the astrologers who paid homage to the young child Jesus, traditionally assumed to be three in number and to be named Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior.
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the class of Zoroastrian priests in ancient Media and Persia, reputed to possess supernatural powers.
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magi, people who are believed to have expertise in interpreting the assumed influence of the stars, moon, and planets on human affairs; astrologers.
magi
British
/ ˈmeɪdʒaɪ /
plural noun
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the Zoroastrian priests of the ancient Medes and Persians
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the wise men from the East who came to do homage to the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:1–12) and traditionally called Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar
Magi
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Magi
First recorded in 1175–1225; see origin at Magus
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.
See Examples For:
These are the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi; Jesus praying on the Mount of Olives, the Crucifixion and the Lamentation; and, finally, the Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 26, 2025
In the second half, the soaked photographer was spotted by Ferguson, who asked her: "Magi, are you a bit wet?" and told her to "come and sit between Kiddo and myself".
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2025
Nobody can tell you whether any of them knew a Magi from a Musketeer, not to mention that the Roman Empire they worked under was a failed administration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2025
In some traditions, it celebrates the baptism of Jesus and in others the visit of the Three Magi to the Baby Jesus.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 6, 2024
I flipped ahead to the Ms. Magi, magpie, manicure...manifest.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
The uplighted orrery glows on the faces of two boys who lean into the circuits of solar orbit as it once glowed on the faces of the shepherds and magi at the crib in Bethlehem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
These wise men, or magi, will eventually arrive at the manger on Jan. 6, also known as Epiphany or Three Kings Day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2024
The kings sponsored Zoroastrian temples and expanded the faith at least in part because the faith supported them: the magi, or priests, preached in favor of the continued power and expansion of the empire.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020
At certain hours, children craned their necks up at the astronomical clock tower in the main square to see sculptures of the three magi emerging on a carousel.
From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2018
Gifts of the foreign magi, brought from afar.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
One day, he brought his most recent finds to Magus and the book buyer declined, explaining that the store was for sale and couldn’t afford to accumulate any more debt.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2022
But customers at the annex also have access to all the books in stock at the main Magus store, which the staff has started to refer to as “the engine.”
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2022
“But about six months in, Chris was having so much more fun than I was,” McElroy explained, and she left corporate life behind to join him at Magus full time.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2022
The plan was that Weimer would financially stabilize Magus while McElroy maintained a steady income at her corporate gigs to subsidize the endeavor.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2022
Simon Magus, on a raised platform, was in the very heat and height of an eloquent discourse.
From In Both Worlds by William Henry Holcombe
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.
