The Collaborative International Dictionary
Magic \Mag"ic\, Magical \Mag"ic*al\, a. [L. magicus, Gr. ?, fr. ?: cf. F. magique. See Magi.]
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.
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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.
The painter's magic skill.
--Cowper.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.
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 (Zo["o]l.), 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.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context magic English) A circle marked by a practioner of magic, used as magical protection or to form a magical area. 2 (context mathematics English) An arrangement of natural numbers on circles such that the sum of the numbers on each circle and the sum of numbers on diameter are identical.
Wikipedia
A magic circle is circle (or sphere, field) of space marked out by practitioners of many branches of ritual magic, which they generally believe will contain energy and form a sacred space, or will provide them a form of magical protection, or both. It may be marked physically, drawn in salt or chalk, for example, or merely visualised. Its spiritual significance is similar to that of mandala and yantra in some Eastern religions.
The Magic Circle is an informal term for what are generally considered the five leading law firms headquartered in the United Kingdom, and the four or five leading London-based commercial barristers' chambers.
Magic circle or the Magic Circle may refer to:
Magic circles were invented by the Song dynasty (960–1279) Chinese mathematician Yang Hui (c. 1238–1298). It is the arrangement of natural numbers on circles where the sum of the numbers on each circle and the sum of numbers on diameter are identical. One of his magic circles was constructed from 33 natural numbers from 1 to 33 arranged on four concentric circles, with 9 at the center.
In digital media, the "magic circle" is the membrane that encloses virtual worlds such as first-person shooters, online social environments, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). As noted by Edward Castronova in Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games, this membrane "can be considered a shield of sorts, protecting the fantasy world from the outside world." Instead of being impenetrable, however, an examination of contemporary virtual worlds reveals that the magic circle is actually quite porous. More directly, there appears to be a relationship between virtual worlds and the outside world. Even though virtual worlds display a range of attributes that are unique to their realm, they also exhibit characteristics deriving from the outside world. Castronova uses the term "synthetic world" because a synthetic world "cannot be sealed completely; people are crossing it all the time in both directions, carrying their behavioral assumptions and attitudes with them." As this suggests, elements of synthetic worlds are being evaluated in terms of their importance in the outside world. These newly established values, subsequently, gain significance on both sides of the membrane. Thus, it becomes difficult to determine the meaning of the word "virtual." As stated by Castronova, the "allegedly 'virtual' is blending so smoothly into the allegedly 'real' as to make the distinction increasingly difficult to see."
Usage examples of "magic circle".
In many other ways he was glad an illegitimate child born of a pagan rite, conceived within a magic circle had not happened.
He backed away, ducked between the still-spinning dryads who were creating the magic circle, and watched to see what Druellae would do next.
He backed away, ducked between the stills pinning dryads who were creating the magic circle, and watched to see what Druellae would do next.
Right now Van's going through some piece of drivel about being trapped in a magic circle for seventeen years, and it sounds like it may take seventeen years to sing it.
Blood erupted out of it, as if something had exploded within the depths of the bowl, splattering everything and everyone within the magic circle.
I need a matron and a crone with magic to complete the magic circle.
He shook his head, dug a piece of chalk from the pocket of his coat, and gingerly stepped across the protective points of the magic circle.
One of those cracks came through the magic circle and stole the rocks beneath their feet.
We stood in a magic circle that the queen had traced upon the stones of the main court.