wizard

American  

[wiz-erd] / ˈwɪz ərd /

noun

1. a person who practices magic; magician or sorcerer.

   Synonyms:

   diviner, thaumaturge, necromancer, enchanter

2. a conjurer or juggler.

3. Also whiz, wiz a person of amazing skill or accomplishment.

   a wizard at chemistry.

4. Computers. a software feature that guides users through complex procedures with step-by-step instructions, often presented in dialog boxes.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a wizard.

2. magic.

3. British Slang. superb; excellent; wonderful.

   That's wizard!

wizard British  

/ ˈwɪzəd /

noun

1. a male witch or a man who practises or professes to practise magic or sorcery

2. a person who is outstandingly clever in some specified field; expert

3. obsolete a wise man

4. computing a computer program that guides a user through a complex task

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adjective

1. informal superb; outstanding

2. of or relating to a wizard or wizardry

Other Word Forms

• wizardlike adjective
• wizardly adjective

Etymology

Origin of wizard

First recorded in 1400–50, late Middle English wisard; wise ¹, -ard

Explanation

A wizard is a kind of magician. A wise man who can perform magic spells in a fairy tale or fantasy novel is often described as a wizard. One of the most famous fictional wizards is Harry Potter, who first learns of his magical abilities when Hagrid says, "Harry — yer a wizard." Sometimes wizards are described as male versions of witches, while other stories use the term as a gender-neutral name for anyone with magical powers. Colloquially, you might call someone a wizard if they're truly amazing at what they do (even if it's not magic): "She's a wizard at dog training!"

Example Sentences

The famous trio has been cast - with Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin set to star as the titular wizard.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Tolkien’s iconic wizard since 2014’s “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The wizard franchise enjoys a fervent and huge fanbase in China - and Warner Bros Discovery has announced plans to open the largest Making Of Harry Potter studio tour in Shanghai in 2027.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

Some wizard just proposed fixing this daffy, diluted, far-too-long 16 team playoff by making it 24 teams.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

But as a wizard he had learned the price of the game, which is the peril of losing one’s self, playing away the truth.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• genius
• shark
• whiz