magician

noun

ma·​gi·​cian mə-ˈji-shən How to pronounce magician (audio)
1
: one skilled in magic
especially : sorcerer
2
: one who performs tricks of illusion and sleight of hand

Example Sentences

The magician pulled a rabbit out of a hat. She is a magician on the basketball court.
Recent Examples on the Web Famed magician David Copperfield befriended her in her later years, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2023 Gloria Dea, known as Las Vegas' first magician performer, has died at 100 years old, multiple outlets confirm. Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2023 Ever the showman, Midgley performed an act worthy of a vaudeville magician onstage at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in 1930, inhaling a cloud of the gas and then exhaling to blow out a candle — thus demonstrating Freon’s nontoxicity and its nonflammability. Steven Johnson, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Aidan Bryant's journey on 'America's Got Talent' Bryant lost in 2021 to magician Dustin Tavella. Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2023 Like stage magicians, these technologies exploit the weaknesses in the evolutionary features of our minds. Pascal Bornet, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023 Penn & Teller: Famed magician duo Penn & Teller are on tour and bringing their unique blend of illusions, magic, comedy and drama to Harrah’s in Valley Center. San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023 The Magic of Puck, but the duo were unable to fool magician duo Penn & Teller. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 7 Feb. 2023 This under-$10 tool is a core stabilizer magician. John Thompson, Men's Health, 7 Dec. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magician.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of magician was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near magician

Cite this Entry

“Magician.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magician. Accessed 1 Apr. 2023.

Kids Definition

magician

noun
ma·​gi·​cian mə-ˈjish-ən How to pronounce magician (audio)
1
: a person skilled in magic
especially : sorcerer
2
: a performer of tricks of illusion

More from Merriam-Webster on magician

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