magician
Americannoun
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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
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.
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
A whiteboard shows upcoming specials from Bargatze’s talent roster, including his father, Stephen, a magician whose former career as a clown provided Bargatze with plenty of material.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Melies, a theatrical showman and magician, attended that screening and was inspired to make films of his own.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
He has been described as a magician and “being of light.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
After Vladimir's death, the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs was tasked with protecting the Black Book from Moreau and those magician apprentices who avoided capture.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
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.
