magician
Americannoun
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magicians
plural
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an entertainer who is skilled in producing illusion by sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.; conjurer.
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a person who is skilled in magic; sorcerer.
- Synonyms:
- wizard, enchanter, necromancer
noun
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another term for conjuror
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a person who practises magic
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a person who has extraordinary skill, influence, or qualities
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of magician
1350–1400; magic + -ian; replacing Middle English magicien < Middle French
Explanation
A magician does magic tricks. You might hire a magician to pull rabbits out of hats and do card tricks at your next birthday party. A performer whose specialty is sleight-of-hand and other illusions is one kind of magician. Another magician is the kind who makes real magic, casting spells and summoning spirits. More people believe in the first kind of magician — who is simply pretending to do magic — than the second. The word stems from the Old French magiciien, "magician or sorcerer," which is rooted in the Greek word for "magical," magikos.
Vocabulary lists containing magician
2015 National Spelling Bee Words
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Magical Vocabulary
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -an
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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:
I need to buy a suit, and then get a magician to invite me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
There has been no stopping Argentina's little magician so far.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
It’s all just bravado and illusion in a show where the magician has no bunnies left to pull from his top hat.
From Salon ● May 28, 2026
The second half deals with Jerry West the deal-making magician.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 14, 2026
“Ugh. Like I need any more attention. It’ll be bad enough just showing up as the magician who received a moonstone badge this morning.”
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
More than two dozen acts—comedians, musicians, mentalists, magicians, dancers and jugglers—had 10 minutes each to prove themselves, which sounds harsh until you consider what cruise-ship audiences are like.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
It serves as a clubhouse for the Academy of Magic Arts, a private organization for magicians and magic enthusiasts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
This time out, the original Four Horsemen -- who first appeared on screen in 2013 -- are joined by three younger magicians: Ariana Greenblatt, Dominic Sessa and Justice Smith.
From Barron's ● Nov. 16, 2025
Veronika is transporting the world’s largest diamond to Paris, an opportunity too tempting for the magicians to pass up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2025
She had gone away ordinary and come back miraculous, like the ancient magicians who came down from the mountains.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
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.
