magi
UK /ˈmeɪd͡ʒaɪ/ · US /ˈmeɪˌd͡ʒaɪ/ proper noun
Also a form of magus
Forms MAGIs
- proper noun (Christianity) Chiefly preceded by the (three): the wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus at the Epiphany (traditionally considered to be three in number and sometimes named Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior, but the Bible does not state how many there were or their names).
- proper noun (astronomy, by extension) The three bright stars (Alnitak (ζ Ori), Alnilam (ε Ori), and Mintaka (δ Ori)) that form Orion's Belt in the Orion constellation.
Synonyms
mages maguses Three Kings Three Wise Men Wise Men Three Sisters
Etymology
From magi (plural of magus (“magician; (derogatory) conjurer or sorcerer, especially one who is a charlatan or trickster; Zoroastrian priest”)), from Middle English mages, magi or Magi, magy or Magy (“men possessing occult knowledge; astrologers, philosophers, sorcerers”), from Latin magī, from magus (“magician; (derogatory) conjurer or sorcerer, especially one who is a charlatan or trickster; Zoroastrian priest”) + -ī (suffix forming nominative or vocative masculine plurals). Magus is derived from Ancient Greek μάγος (mágos), Μάγος (Mágos, “magician; (derogatory) conjurer, sorcerer; Zoroastrian priest”) (plural μᾰ́γοι (mắgoi), Μᾰ́γοι (Mắgoi)), from Old Iranian (compare Avestan 𐬨𐬊𐬕𐬎 (moġu), Old Median and Old Persian 𐎶𐎦𐎢𐏁 (m-gu-u-š /maγu-/, title of a person?)), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able, have power; power; sorcerer”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A caste of priests, philosophers, and magicians, among the ancient Persians; hence, any holy men or sages of the East.
Etymology [L., pl. of Magus, Gr. Mage, Magic.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “magi”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details