magic

/ˈmad͡ʒɪk/

//ˈmad͡ʒɪk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"magic" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“magic” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,796. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,796
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.

Corpus desk

Index EN-magic · magic · English

magic · rank #1,796 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,796
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH liked

Nearest frequency peer: liked (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “magic”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “magic” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

magic vs mic
60% similar
magic vs mai
60% similar
magic vs main
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for magic
PropertyValue
Headwordmagic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmad͡ʒɪk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,796
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “magic”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).magiclands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “liked” (#1,795), “managed” (#1,797), “knowing” (#1,794). Among 4,057 “M” headwords, “magic” is #1,796. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around magic (IPA /ˈmad͡ʒɪk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #1,796 among 4,057 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for magic, with forms such as "amgic", "magci", and "maggic". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "mic", "mai", "main", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English magik, magyk, from Old French magique (noun and adjective), from Latin magicus (adjective), magica (noun use of feminine form of magicus), from Ancient Greek μαγικός (magikós, “magical”), from μάγος (mágos, “magus”). Ultimately from Old … The correct English form is magic, spelled M-A-G-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.
  2. 2
    The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.
  3. 3
    The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.
  4. 4
    The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.
  5. 5
    Something producing successful and remarkable results, especially when not fully understood; an enchanting quality; exceptional skill.
  6. 6
    Something producing successful and remarkable results, especially when not fully understood; an enchanting quality; exceptional skill.
  7. 7
    The art or practice of performing conjuring tricks and illusions to give the appearance of supernatural phenomena or powers.
  8. 8
    The art or practice of performing conjuring tricks and illusions to give the appearance of supernatural phenomena or powers.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how magic appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. “My magic will help you find true love,” said the witch as she looked for the right herbs in her collection.
  2. And whan he shall be arrayed as I telle you / lete hym thenne doo his incantacyons & his magyke as he wyll […].

Etymology

From Middle English magik, magyk, from Old French magique (noun and adjective), from Latin magicus (adjective), magica (noun use of feminine form of magicus), from Ancient Greek μαγικός (magikós, “magical”), from μάγος (mágos, “magus”). Ultimately from Old Iranian, probably derived from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂gʰ- (“to be able to, to help; power, sorcerer”). Displaced native Old English ġealdor (survived in Middle English galder), and dwimmer.

Synonyms

bewitcheryblack artscharmworkconjurationconjuringcraftdark artsdiableriedruidcraftdweomercraftdwimmerdwimmercraftenchantmentgoetygypsycrafthexcrafthexereijugglerymagicmojosorcerysortilegespellcastingspellcraftspellworkthaumaturgywandworkwarlockrywhistnesswitchdomwitcherywitchcraftwitchworkwizardrywizardcraftwonderworking

This word in other languages

magia(Español)magie(Français)Zauberei(Deutsch)magia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amgic
  • magci
  • maggic
  • magicc
  • maigc
  • mgaic
  • mmagic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of magic - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

amgic2magci2maggic1magicc1maigc2mgaic2mmagic1
Edit distance from "magic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "magic"?
"magic" is spelled M-A-G-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmad͡ʒɪk/.
What does "magic" mean?
As a noun, "magic" means: The application of rituals or actions, especially those based on occult knowledge, to subdue or manipulate natural or supernatural beings and forces in order to have some benefit from them.
What words are commonly confused with "magic"?
"magic" is commonly confused with "mic", "mai", "main". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "magic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "magic" is /ˈmad͡ʒɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "magic"?
From Middle English magik, magyk, from Old French magique (noun and adjective), from Latin magicus (adjective), magica (noun use of feminine form of magicus), from Ancient Greek μαγικός (magikós, “magical”), from μάγος (mágos, “magus”). Ultimately... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "magic", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

liked#1,795horse#1,793owned#1,800stick#1,802

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

fellow7 variantseasier7 variantsunits7 variantstough7 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list