magus

noun

ma·​gus ˈmā-gəs How to pronounce magus (audio)
plural magi ˈmā-ˌjī How to pronounce magus (audio)
ˈma-
1
a
: a member of a hereditary priestly class among the ancient Medes and Persians
b
often capitalized : one of the traditionally three wise men from the East paying homage to the infant Jesus
2

Examples of magus in a Sentence

attributed the storms to a clash of wills between the two most powerful magi in the land
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For years Johnson, the disheveled political magus, was the golden boy of Britain's Conservative Party. Sam Kiley, CNN, 30 June 2022 But other students are there for Wittgenstein the sage, the magus, the riddler—the man who left Russell bewildered by a turn to mysticism at the end of a book that was supposed to be about logic. Nikhil Krishnan, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Auden’s father, George Augustus Auden, was a physician and an early reader of Freud; the young poet saw himself also as a healer, though in a rather different mode, less an M.D. than a magus. Alan Jacobs, Harper’s Magazine , 27 Apr. 2022 His face is framed by voluminous graying locks; his loose robes recall those of a medieval magus. Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 21 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek magos — more at magic

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of magus was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near magus

Cite this Entry

“Magus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magus. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on magus

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!