mago

Forms

mago m (plural maghi)^[1]

Etymology

It is learned: it is borrowed from Latin magus (“magician”),^[2][3][1] from Ancient Greek μάγος (mágos), which in Herodotus is a Persian priest who interprets dreams.^[2] The Greek word was taken from Old Persian maguš, found already in the cuneiform inscriptions, a word of the religious sphere whose own origin is unknown.^[2][4] The Magi were first a tribe of the Medes from which the priestly caste came.^[4][5] Prati connected the name with an Iranian verb meaning “to purify”.^[6] The same Latin word gave French mage and Spanish mago.^[4]

Italian later set the magician apart from the Magi of the Gospel, for whom it made a singular magio from the plural.^[2][7] magia and magico were taken separately, from the Latin forms of μαγεία (mageía) and μαγικός (magikós).^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLIO's first record is in the Lombard poet Pietro da Bescapè, 1274.^[8] The first sense in Old Italian is a person who works wonders by occult means and secret formulas, often with demonic forces; the word was also the epithet of Simon, who tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit.^[8] DELI's first date is Dante (1300–1313), who calls out O Simon mago.^[2][9]

Semantic evolution

In Old Italian mago also named a priest of the Persian cult of Zoroaster, and in the plural the three wise men who followed the star to Bethlehem.^[8] As an adjective it meant “magical”: Petrarca writes of a force much greater che d'arti maghe (“than of magic arts”).^[8][10] Buti explained in the 14th century that Simon was called mago from magia, the art of enchantment.^[2]

The feminine maga is recorded before about 1446 (Gherardi), and as a woman who bewitches in 1505 (Bembo).^[2] The poems of chivalry filled the word with figures such as il mago Atlante and la maga Alcina.^[7] In 1808–1825 Pananti used mago for someone of extraordinary skill, and the stage illusionist is first recorded in 1970.^[2] A mago is also a healer, and in popular speech the anglerfish.^[3][11][10]

Timeline

• 1274 – Pietro da Bescapè uses mago in Lombard.^[8]
• 1300–1313 – Dante writes O Simon mago.^[2][9]
• 1304 – Giordano da Pisa speaks of arti magiche.^[2]
• Before about 1446 – Gherardi uses the feminine maga.^[2]
• 1505 – Bembo uses maga for an enchanting woman.^[2]
• 1808–1825 – Pananti uses mago for a person of extraordinary skill.^[2]
• 1970 – The Zingarelli records mago “illusionist”.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. Someone who practises magic, a sorcerer or wizard; in tales, a character with supernatural powers: il mago Merlino.^[3][11][12]
2. (by extension) A healer.^[3][11]
3. A conjurer, illusionist: Il mago tirò fuori una colomba dal cappello.^[3][11][12]
4. (figurative) Someone of exceptional skill in an art or trade: È un mago della cucina.^[3][11][12]
5. (figurative, uncommon) A person of great charm, mostly in the feminine maga.^[11][12][13]
6. (historical) A priest of the ancient Persian religion; the same as magio.^[11][14][7]

Adjective

1. (archaic) Magical: arti maghe.^[11][14][13]

Word family

• maga

Related words

• magio
• magia
• magico
• Latin magus

Usage notes

The plural is maghi;^[2][11][7] magi is kept for the Persian priests and the Magi of the Gospel, whose singular is magio.^[2][11][7] Sembrare il mago sabino is said in jest of someone with a flowing beard and untidy hair.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
3. ^ a b c d e f De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
4. ^ a b c d Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
5. ^ Battisti, Carlo; Alessio, Giovanni (1950–1957), Dizionario etimologico italiano, 5 vols., Firenze: Barbèra (reprint 1975), p. 2318
6. ^ Prati, Angelico (1951), Vocabolario etimologico italiano, Milano: Garzanti, p. 617
7. ^ a b c d e f Duro, Aldo (ed.) (1986–1994), Vocabolario della lingua italiana, Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana; online ed. treccani.it/vocabolario (2008 copy)
8. ^ a b c d e Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (1997–), Opera del Vocabolario Italiano, CNR, Firenze; tlio.ovi.cnr.it
9. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca
10. ^ a b Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca, p. 9, 477
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
12. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
13. ^ a b Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
14. ^ a b Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli