From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
magic
adj 1: possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate
to supernatural powers; "charming incantations"; "magic
signs that protect against adverse influence"; "a magical
spell"; "'tis now the very witching time of night"-
Shakespeare; "wizard wands"; "wizardly powers" [syn:
charming, magic, magical, sorcerous,
{witching(a)}, {wizard(a)}, wizardly]
n 1: any art that invokes supernatural powers [syn: magic,
thaumaturgy]
2: an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers [syn:
magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic,
legerdemain, conjuration, thaumaturgy, illusion,
deception]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Magic \Mag"ic\, n. [OE. magique, L. magice, Gr. ? (sc. ?), fr.
?. See Magic, a., and Magi.]
1. A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which
claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural
beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret
forces in nature attained by a study of occult science,
including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery,
necromancy, incantation, etc.
[1913 Webster]
An appearance made by some magic. --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
2. The art of creating illusions which appear to the observer
to be inexplicable except by some supernatural influence;
it includes simple sleight of hand (legerdemain) as well
as more elaborate stage magic, using special devices
constructed to produce mystifying effects; as, the magic
of David Copperfield. It is practised as an entertainment,
by magicians who do not pretend to have supernatural
powers.
[PJC]
Celestial magic, a supposed supernatural power which gave
to spirits a kind of dominion over the planets, and to the
planets an influence over men.
Natural magic, the art of employing the powers of nature to
produce effects apparently supernatural.
Superstitious magic, or Geotic magic, the invocation of
devils or demons, involving the supposition of some tacit
or express agreement between them and human beings.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Sorcery; witchcraft; necromancy; conjuration;
enchantment.
[1913 Webster] Magic
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Magic \Mag"ic\, Magical \Mag"ic*al\, a. [L. magicus, Gr. ?, fr.
?: cf. F. magique. See Magi.]
1. Pertaining to the hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed
by the Magi; relating to the occult powers of nature, and
the producing of effects by their agency.
[1913 Webster]
2. Performed by, or proceeding from, occult and superhuman
agencies; done by, or seemingly done by, enchantment or
sorcery; as, a magical spell. Hence: Seemingly requiring
more than human power; imposing or startling in
performance; producing effects which seem supernatural or
very extraordinary; having extraordinary properties; as, a
magic lantern; a magic square or circle.
[1913 Webster]
The painter's magic skill. --Cowper.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Although with certain words magic is used more than
magical, -- as, magic circle, magic square, magic wand,
-- we may in general say magic or magical; as, a magic
or magical effect; a magic or magical influence, etc.
But when the adjective is predicative, magical, and not
magic, is used; as, the effect was magical.
[1913 Webster]
Magic circle, a series of concentric circles containing the
numbers 12 to 75 in eight radii, and having somewhat
similar properties to the magic square.
Magic humming bird (Zool.), a Mexican humming bird ({Iache
magica}), having white downy thing tufts.
Magic lantern. See Lantern.
Magic square, numbers so disposed in parallel and equal
rows in the form of a square, that each row, taken
vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, shall give the
same sum, the same product, or an harmonical series,
according as the numbers taken are in arithmetical,
geometrical, or harmonical progression.
Magic wand, a wand used by a magician in performing feats
of magic.
[1913 Webster]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008) [foldoc]:
MAGIC
An early system on the Midac computer.
[Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)].
[Jargon File]
(1995-01-25)
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008) [foldoc]:
magic
1. As yet unexplained, or too complicated to explain; compare
automagically and (Arthur C.) Clarke's Third Law:
Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.
"TTY echoing is controlled by a large number of magic bits."
"This routine magically computes the parity of an 8-bit byte
in three instructions."
2. Characteristic of something that works although no one
really understands why (this is especially called {black
magic}).
3. (Stanford) A feature not generally publicised that allows
something otherwise impossible or a feature formerly in that
category but now unveiled.
Compare wizardly, deep magic, heavy wizardry.
For more about hackish "magic" see Magic Switch Story.
4. magic number.
[Jargon File]
(2001-03-19)
From Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) [jargon]:
magic
1. adj. As yet unexplained, or too complicated to explain; compare
automagically and (Arthur C.) Clarke's Third Law: "Any sufficiently
advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." "TTY echoing is
controlled by a large number of magic bits." "This routine magically
computes the parity of an 8-bit byte in three instructions."
2. adj. Characteristic of something that works although no one really
understands why (this is especially called black magic).
3. n. [Stanford] A feature not generally publicized that allows
something otherwise impossible, or a feature formerly in that category
but now unveiled.
4. n. The ultimate goal of all engineering & development, elegance in
the extreme; from the first corollary to Clarke's Third Law: "Any
technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced".
Parodies playing on these senses of the term abound; some have made
their way into serious documentation, as when a MAGIC directive was
described in the Control Card Reference for GCOS c.1978. For more
about hackish `magic', see Appendix A. Compare black magic,
wizardly, deep magic, heavy wizardry.