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What is the difference between witchcraft and magic?

witchcraft | magic |

Magic is a synonym of witchcraft.



As nouns the difference between witchcraft and magic

is that witchcraft is the practice of witches; magic, sorcery or the use supernatural powers to influence or predict events while 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.

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.

witchcraft

English

(wikipedia witchcraft)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • The practice of witches; magic, sorcery or the use supernatural powers to influence or predict events.
  • * 1387 , John Trevisa (transl.), Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden Monachi Cestrensis , chapter XLIV:
    • And in þat ilond is sortilege and wicchecraft i-vsed. For wommen þere selliþ schipmen wynde, as it were i-closed vnder þre knottes of þrede, so þat þe more wynd he wol haue, he wil vnknette þe mo knottes.
    Wiccans believe in a modernised form of witchcraft .

    See also

    * spellcraft * gypsycraft English words suffixed with -craft

    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)
  • 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 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.}}
  • A conjuring trick or illusion performed to give the appearance of supernatural phenomena or powers.

    • 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, dwimmer

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Having supernatural talents, properties or qualities attributed to magic.
    • a magic''' wand; a '''magic dragon
  • Producing extraordinary results, as though through the use of magic; wonderful, amazing.
    • a magic moment
  • Pertaining to conjuring tricks or illusions performed for entertainment etc.
    • a magic''' show; a '''magic trick
  • (colloquial) Great; excellent.
    • — I cleaned up the flat while you were out. — Really? Magic !
  • (physics) Describing the number of nucleons in a particularly stable isotopic nucleus; 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126, and 184.

    • Synonyms

    * *

    Verb

    (magick)
  • To produce, transform (something), (as if) by magic.

    • Synonyms

    * (produce magically) conjure up

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

    Anagrams

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