thaumaturgy
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of thaumaturgy
From the Greek word thaumatourgía, dating back to 1720–30. See thaumato-, -urgy
Explanation
Abracadabra! Thaumaturgy is a fancy way to say magic. If you're interested in thaumaturgy, you might want to apprentice with a renowned magician. While it's most common to use this word to mean "magic" or "mystical powers," thaumaturgy has had a variety of meanings since its appearance in the 18th century. It comes from the Greek roots thaûma ("miracle") and érgon ("work"), and it's frequently used to refer to the scientific principles behind magic or the "magic" of science and mathematics. Other definitions include "the work of Christian saints" and simply "philosophy."
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.
Even without thaumaturgy a table or a door can make the difference between life and death, even a chair.
From Forbes • Nov. 28, 2012
Then there’s the environment, thaumaturgy and everything else.
From Forbes • Nov. 28, 2012
When you start playing around with thaumaturgy and all the ways you can manipulate things you’re opening up all sorts of gameplay possibilities.
From Forbes • Nov. 28, 2012
Golemetry, cut loose from the traditional constraints of mud, dust or sand, is also a notable branch of thaumaturgy in China Miéville's rebellious, seething New Crobuzon and its environs.
From The Guardian • Aug. 27, 2010
There was a pretty general feeling in Calcutta and Bombay that no glamour or magnetic mystery was needed for Madame Blavatsky’s thaumaturgy, which would soon collapse in Madras as elsewhere.
From The Arena Volume 4, No. 23, October, 1891 by Flower, B. O. (Benjamin Orange)
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.
