magic: [14] Greek mágos, a word of Persian origin, meant ‘sorcerer’ (Latin borrowed it as magus, whose plural magi is used in English for the three ‘Wise Men’ who visited the infant Christ). From mágos was derived the adjective magikós. Its use in the phrase magiké tékhnē ‘sorcerer’s art’ led eventually to magiké itself being regarded as a noun, and it passed into English via late Latin magica and Old French magique. => magi
magic (n.)
late 14c., "art of influencing events and producing marvels using hidden natural forces," from Old French magique "magic, magical," from Late Latin magice "sorcery, magic," from Greek magike (presumably with tekhne "art"), fem. of magikos "magical," from magos "one of the members of the learned and priestly class," from Old Persian magush, possibly from PIE *magh- (1) "to be able, to have power" (see machine). Transferred sense of "legerdemain, optical illusion, etc." is from 1811. Displaced Old English wiccecræft (see witch); also drycræft, from dry "magician," from Irish drui "priest, magician" (see druid).
magic (adj.)
late 14c., from Old French magique, from Latin magicus "magic, magical," from Greek magikos, from magike (see magic (n.)). Magic carpet first attested 1816. Magic Marker (1951) is a registered trademark (U.S.) by Speedry Products, Inc., Richmond Hill, N.Y. Magic lantern "optical instrument whereby a magnified image is thrown upon a wall or screen" is 1690s, from Modern Latin laterna magica.
magic (v.)
1906, from magic (n.).
双语例句
1. It infected them with some of the magic of a lost age.
逝去的岁月让他们平添了几分魅力。
来自柯林斯例句
2. There is no magic formula for producing winning products.
获奖电影的制作没有捷径可取。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The picture will now appear, as if by magic!
这幅画立刻就会出现，好像变魔术一般！
来自柯林斯例句
4. Our spirits rallied as the bitter-sweet alcohol worked its magic.
苦中带甜的酒发挥了奇效，我们的精神随之振奋起来。
来自柯林斯例句
5. The fighter believes he can still regain some of his old magic.