Magic vs Mystery - What's the difference?
magic | mystery |
The use of rituals or actions, especially based on supernatural or occult knowledge, to manipulate or obtain information about the natural world, especially when seen as falling outside the realm of religion; also the forces allegedly drawn on for such practices.
*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 , , 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 .
A specific ritual or procedure associated with supernatural magic or with mysticism; a spell.
Something producing remarkable results, especially when not fully understood; an enchanting quality; exceptional skill.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
, title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=1 A conjuring trick or illusion performed to give the appearance of supernatural phenomena or powers.
Having supernatural talents, properties or qualities attributed to magic.
Producing extraordinary results, as though through the use of magic; wonderful, amazing.
Pertaining to conjuring tricks or illusions performed for entertainment etc.
(colloquial) Great; excellent.
(physics) Describing the number of nucleons in a particularly stable isotopic nucleus; 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126, and 184.
To produce, transform (something), (as if) by magic.
Something secret or unexplainable; an unknown.
*{{quote-book, year=1927, author=
, chapter=4, title= Someone or something with an obscure or puzzling nature.
* (Jonathan Swift) (1667–1745)
* {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
, title=
, chapter=5 (label) A particular event or series of events in the life of Christ.
A secret religious celebration, to which none were admitted except those who had been initiated.
S9
As nouns the difference between magic and mystery
is that magic is the use of rituals or actions, especially based on supernatural or occult knowledge, to manipulate or obtain information about the natural world, especially when seen as falling outside the realm of religion; also the forces allegedly drawn on for such practices while mystery is something secret or unexplainable; an unknown.As an adjective magic
is having supernatural talents, properties or qualities attributed to magic.As a verb magic
is to produce, transform (something), (as if) by magic.As a proper noun Magic
is the decrypted Japanese messages produced by US cryptographers in and prior to World War II.magic
English
Alternative forms
* magick (qualifier) Used as a deliberate archaism; used for supernatural magic, as distinguished from stage magic. * magicke (obsolete) * magique (obsolete)Noun
(en-noun)citation, passage=The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, so that the actual structure which had come down to posterity retained the secret magic of a promise rather than the overpowering splendour of a great architectural achievement.}}
Synonyms
* (allegedly supernatural method to dominate natural forces) dwimmer, thaumaturgy, conjuring, sorcery, witchcraft, dweomercraft/dwimmercraft * (illusion performed to give the appearance of magic or the supernatural) sleight of hand, illusionism, legerdemain, dwimmerAdjective
(-)- a magic''' wand; a '''magic dragon
- a magic moment
- a magic''' show; a '''magic trick
- — I cleaned up the flat while you were out. — Really? Magic !
Synonyms
* *Verb
(magick)Synonyms
* (produce magically) conjure upDerived terms
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Anagrams
*mystery
English
Noun
(mysteries)F. E. Penny
Pulling the Strings, passage=The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.}}
- If God should please to reveal unto us this great mystery of the Trinity, or some other mysteries in our holy religion, we should not be able to understand them, unless he would bestow on us some new faculties of the mind.
citation, passage=Then I had a good think on the subject of the hocussing of Cigarette, and I was reluctantly bound to admit that once again the man in the corner had found the only possible solution to the mystery .}}
