Abracadabra

Did you know...

The word Abracadabra comes from the Hebrew expression ‘I create as I speak.' A variation of these words exist throughout the Jewish scriptures. Apparently, whenever God is about to create something, He will announce the creation before hand.

A Misdirection of Magicians

Did You Know...
a group of magicians, believe it or not, is most accurately referred to as a “misdirection of magicians” (makes one proud!) This is according to Charles Harrington Elster's book “There's a Word for it,” published by Scribner.

Chinese magicans

Did You Know...
the Mandarin word for magician, “mo-shu-shi,” literally means “ghost-art-specialist;”

Magicians Around the World

Did you ever want to know how to say "Magician" in a dozen languages while you were traveling? Well...this is the most number of ways I could find to translate the word.

NB: In some languages the closest word I could find was "sorcerer." I listed them here because they actually do call stage magicians like David Copperfield "sorcerers."
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1. Afrikaans - Kulkunstenaar
2. Albanian - Magjistar
3. Arabic - Saher
4. Armenian - Gakhart or gaqart
5. Basque - Aztia
6. Batok - Manicot
7. Bengali - Jadukar
9. Bulgarian - Fokusnik or Bókychnk
10. Burmese - Milleseya
11. Bylorussian - Charadzey
12. Catalan - Mag
13. Croatian - MadjioniCar
14. Czech - Kouzelník
15. Danish - Tryllekunstner
16. Djula - Jinamory
17. Dutch - Goochelaar
18. English - Magician
19. Esperanto - Iluziisto
20. Estonian - Võlur
21. Farsi - Jadoogar
22. Finnish - Taikurin
23. Flemish - Tovenaar
24. French - Magicien
25. Gaelic - Draoi
26. Gallego - Bruxo
27. German - Zauberer
28. Greek - Magos
29. Gujarati - Jadoogar
30. Hawaiian - Ho'okalakupua
31. Hebrew - Kosem
32. Hindi - Jadoogar
33. Hungarian - Büvesz
34. Ibo - Onye Amuma Ogwu
35. Icelandic - Sjonhverfingamadur
36. Igala - Ache Ogwu
37. Italian - Mago
38. Japanese - Tejinashi
39. Kanada - Jadoogar
40. Kashmiri - Bazighar
41. Korean - Masulsa
42. Kurdish - Cedû
43. Lappish - Calmmegeaidi
44. Latin - Magus
45. Latvian - Buruju mäkslinieus
46. Lithuanian - Burtininkas
47. Loa - Nark man ya konh
48. Macedonian - Volshebnik
49. Malay - Pensilap
50. Malayalam - Manthrikan
51. Maltese - IlluZjonista
52. Mandarin - Moshusi
53. Nepali - Chataki
54. Norwegian - Tryllekunstner
55. Pashtu - Jadoogar
56. Persian - Magii
57. Polish - Magik
58. Pohnpei - Akmanaman
59. Portuguese - Mágico or Illusionista
60. Punjabi - Jadoogar
61. Romanian - Vrâjitor
62. Russian - Bókychnk or Coldun
63. Sardo - Magu
64. Senefu - Katchin-win
65. Serbian - MadjioniCar
66. Singalese - Vijja Karaya
67. Slovene - Carovnik
68. Spanish - Mago
69. Swahili - Mchawi
70. Swedish - Trollkarl
71. Tagalog - Salamangkero
72. Tamil - Mayakkaran
73. Thai - Nuc ma ya kol
74. Tibetan - Migturl or Guma Khen
75. Turkish - Sihirbas
76. Turkmen - Gozbagdjy
77. Ukrainian - Mag
78. Urdu - Jadoogar
79. Uzbeki - Sihrgar or Qizikchi
80. Vietnamese - Thày phù thûy
81. Walloon - Magicien
82. Welsh - Dewin
83. Yiddish - Kishef
84. Yoruba - Babalewu
85. Zulu - Usaragor

Gifts of the Magi

Did You Know...

The word “magic” originally comes from a Persian word. The etymology is: Middle English magique, from Middle French; from Latin magice; from Greek magikE; feminine of magikos. Magian, magical, from magos magus, sorcerer, of Iranian origin; akin to Old Persian magus sorcerer." (Webster´s)
The Three Magi mentioned in the Bible were probably “sorcerers” rather than astronomers per se.

The Japanese Word for Magic

Did you know...

The Japanese word for magic is tejina which, in turn, is derived from two words te meaning hand (as in karate) and jina meaning ´things.´ In ancient China and Japan, magicians were expected not only to be skilled at legerdemain but in juggling also. In fact, tejina can also mean juggling.

The characters that make up tejina are used as part of Tenyo Magic's logo.

Mocking Illusions

Did you know...

The word illusion is derived from a Latin word illusio, meaning the action of mocking.

Los Reyes Magos

Did you know...

The Christian feast of the Epiphany is referred to as ´Los Reyes Magos,´ which literally translates as ´the magician kings´ ... referring to the three wise men from the East who paid homage to the infant Jesus.

Magian

Did You Know...
“Magian” is another word for magician

Hocus-Pocus

Did you know...

The expression hocus-pocus is a corruption of the Latin prayer ‘Hoc ist corpus,' (lit. This is my body); the words used at the consecration during the Roman Catholic mass. ´Hocus-Pocus´ originated as a derogatory term, poking fun at this ´magical´ transformation. Many Catholic magicians avoid the use of the word because of its original meaning.

Harry Houdini´s Death

Did you know...

Contrary to popular myth, Harry Houdini did not die in the infamous Chinese Water Torture trick as erroneously portrayed in Tony Curtis' film. Instead he died of diffuse peritonitis (his appendix ruptured) which was a direct result of being playfully punched in the abdomen by a first-year student of McGill University named Whitehead. He died at Grace Hospital on Sunday, October 31 and was buried in the bronze coffin he had planned to use in yet another underwater burial illusion.