different between magic vs enigma

English

Etymology

From Middle English magik, magyk, from Old French magique (noun and adjective), from Latin magicus (adjective), magica (noun use of feminine form of magicus), from Ancient Greek ??????? (magikós, “magical”), from ????? (mágos, “magus”). Ultimately from Old Iranian, probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *meh?g?- (“to be able to, to help; power, sorcerer”). Displaced native Middle English dweomercraft (“magic, magic arts”) (from Old English dwimor (“phantom, illusion”) + cræft (“art”)), Old English galdorcræft (“magic, enchantment”), Old English dr?cræft (“magic, sorcery”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?mad??k/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?mæd??k/
• Rhymes: -æd??k

Noun

magic (usually uncountable, plural magics)

1. The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them [from 14th c.]
   • c. 1489, William Caxton, Foure Sonnes of Aymon:

     And whan he shall be arrayed as I telle you / lete hym thenne doo his incantacyons & his magyke as he wyll […].

   • 1781, Edward Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, II.23:

     The arts of magic and divination were strictly prohibited.

   • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 23:

     Conversions to the new religion […] have frequently been assisted by the view of converts that they are acquiring not just a means of otherworldly salvation, but a new and more powerful magic.

2. A specific ritual or procedure associated with such magic; a spell. [from 14th c.]
3. The supernatural forces which are drawn on in such a ritual.
4. Something producing successful and remarkable results, especially when not fully understood; an enchanting quality; exceptional skill. [from 17th c.]
   1. (computing, slang) Complicated or esoteric code that is not expected to be generally understood.
      • 2017, Jacek Galowicz, C++17 STL Cookbook (page 257)

        The stringstream class hides a lot of string parsing magic from us at this point.

5. A conjuring trick or illusion performed to give the appearance of supernatural phenomena or powers. [from 19th c.]
6. The art or practice of performing conjuring tricks and illusions.

Alternative forms

• magick (fantasy, occult, now used for supernatural magic as distinguished from stage magic)
• magicke (obsolete)
• magique (obsolete)

Synonyms

• (allegedly supernatural method to dominate natural forces): dwimmer, dweomercraft/dwimmercraft, thaumaturgy, conjuring, sorcery, witchcraft, wizardry, wizardcraft, warlockry, hexcraft, spellcraft, spellcasting, spellwork, charmwork, wandwork, enchantment
• (illusion performed to give the appearance of magic or the supernatural): sleight of hand, illusionism, legerdemain, dwimmer

Derived terms

Related terms

• magician

Descendants

• ? Japanese: ???? (majikku)

Translations

Adjective

magic (not comparable)

1. Having supernatural talents, properties or qualities attributed to magic. [from 14th c.]

   Synonym: magical

2. Producing extraordinary results, as though through the use of magic. [from 17th c.]

   Synonyms: wonderful, amazing

3. Pertaining to conjuring tricks or illusions performed for entertainment etc. [from 19th c.]

   Synonym: magical

4. (colloquial) Great; excellent. [from 20th c.]

5. (physics) Describing the number of nucleons in a particularly stable isotopic nucleus; 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126, and 184. [from 20th c.]
6. (programming) Being a literal number or string value with no meaning or context, not defined as a constant or variable [from 20th c.]

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

magic (third-person singular simple present magics, present participle magicking, simple past and past participle magicked)

1. (transitive) To produce, transform (something), (as if) by magic. [from 20th c.]

   Synonyms: conjure up, magic up

Derived terms

• magic up

Translations

Anagrams

• gamic

Occitan

Adjective

magic m (feminine singular magica, masculine plural magics, feminine plural magicas)

1. magic, magical

Derived terms

• magicament

Related terms

• magia

Romanian

Etymology

From French magique

Adjective

magic m or n (feminine singular magic?, masculine plural magici, feminine and neuter plural magice)

1. magic

Declension

English

Alternative forms

• ænigma (chiefly archaic)

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), being derived itself from the Ancient Greek verbal noun ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, speaking in riddles”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n??m?/, /??n??m?/

Noun

enigma (plural enigmas or enigmata)

1. Something or someone puzzling, mysterious or inexplicable.
2. A riddle, or a difficult problem.

Related terms

• a riddle wrapped up in an enigma
• Enigma machine
• enigmatic

Translations

References

Anagrams

• gamine, imagen, in-game

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmes)

1. enigma

Related terms

• enigmáticu

Basque

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish enigma, from Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Noun

enigma inan

1. enigma

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /??ni?.m?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /e?ni?.ma/

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmes)

1. enigma

Derived terms

• enigmàtic

Further reading

• “enigma” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Esperanto

Etymology

enigmo +? -a

Adjective

enigma (accusative singular enigman, plural enigmaj, accusative plural enigmajn)

1. enigmatic

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?eni?m?/, [?e?ni?m?]
• Rhymes: -eni?m?
• Syllabification: e?nig?ma

Noun

enigma

1. enigma

Declension

Galician

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmas)

1. enigma

Related terms

• enigmático

Italian

Etymology

From Latin ænigma, from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma).

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmi)

1. enigma, riddle, conundrum

   Synonyms: giallo, mistero

Related terms

• enigmatico
• enigmista
• enigmistica
• enigmistico

References

Anagrams

• gemina, igname

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /e??ni?.ma/, [e??n??mä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /e?ni?.ma/, [??ni?m?]

Noun

?nigma n (genitive ?nigmatis); third declension

1. Alternative form of aenigma

Declension

Third-declension noun (neuter, imparisyllabic non-i-stem).

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmas)

1. enigma

Related terms

• enigmático

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [e?ni?ma]

Noun

enigma f

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of enigm?

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin aenigma (“riddle”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (aínigma, “dark saying, riddle”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e?ni?ma/, [e?ni??.ma]

Noun

enigma m (plural enigmas)

1. enigma, conundrum (something that is puzzling)
2. riddle, conundrum

Related terms

• enigmático
• enigmáticamente

Further reading

• “enigma” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

Anagrams

• gemina