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Synonyms

magical

American  
[maj-i-kuhl] / ˈmædʒ ɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. produced by or as if by magic.

    The change in the appearance of the room was magical.

  2. mysteriously enchanting.

    a magical night.

  3. of or relating to magic.

Other Word Forms

  • hypermagical adjective
  • hypermagically adverb
  • magically adverb
  • quasi-magical adjective
  • quasi-magically adverb
  • semimagical adjective
  • semimagically adverb
  • unmagical adjective
  • unmagically adverb

Etymology

Origin of magical

First recorded in 1545–55; magic + -al 1

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Does drinking Surf City’s water grant you magical powers, too?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

To come close to matching the romance of Rory McIlroy's magical Masters then surely the Green Jacket in 2026 has to go to the man beaten in the play-off 12 months ago.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Artemis 2 astronaut Victor Glover, who pilots the Orion spacecraft, said before liftoff this week that eyes were a "magical instrument."

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

While magical, these power-assisted portals are nothing but a pain, requiring several feet of side clearance to fully open.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

I look behind me to see the light of our entrance grow dark with magical thorned vines.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

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.