English
magus
Magus comes from Latin magus ‘magic, magical’, from Old Persian Old Persian form ‘Mazdean priest’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-ú-sreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*magʰúšreconstructed
- Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*magúšreconstructed
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEOld Persian formtransliteratedoriginal script Old Persian form, a transliteration‘Mazdean priest’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμάγοςmágos‘magician’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmagus‘magic, magical’
- Englishearliest quotation 1922same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-‘to be able’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*megʰ-ú-sreconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*magʰúšreconstructed
- Proto-Iranianprehistoric (reconstructed)*magúšreconstructed
- Old Persianc. 600–300 BCEOld Persian formtransliteratedoriginal script Old Persian form, a transliteration‘Mazdean priest’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμάγοςmágos‘magician’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmagus‘magic, magical’
- Englishearliest quotation 1922same form
Earliest quotation: 1922, Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla, Zoroastrian Civilization: “Court astrologers, who were drawn from the race of…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- ‘to be able’
might, may, main, mechanical, mechanism, yay, mechanic, mower, magician, dismay, mecha, machinist, yayo, 78 more
through Ancient Greek μάγος ‘magician’
through Latin magus ‘magic, magical’
Today it means
noun A magician; (derogatory) a conjurer or sorcerer, especially one who is a charlatan or trickster.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- / magus