μάγος Ancient Greek · revision 15573

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=6th–5th century BC, Heraclitus|origins=peo maguš}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /má.ɡos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈma.ɣos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈma.ɣos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''μάγος''' (mágos) ''m'' or f (neuter μάγον); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|peo|maguš]], the name of a Median tribe with priestly functions (Avestan [[m|ae|moγu-|tr=moγu-]]).^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) Since the original meaning of the Iranian word is unknown, it has no further etymology.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Rosół rejects proposed Akkadian sources and calls it without doubt an Iranian loanword.^(Rosół 2013)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first recorded uses are in Heraclitus, Sophocles' ''Oedipus the King'' (387), Euripides and Herodotus.^(GLAUx)^(Beekes 2010) Aeschylus has the name [[m|grc|Μᾶγος|tr=Mâgos]] in the ''Persians''.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Herodotus, Xenophon, Aristotle and Plutarch use it for a member of the Median or Persian class of priests and diviners, and Herodotus once for a Median tribe.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary) From the 5th century BC (Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aeschines) it also meant a magician, sorcerer or charlatan, usually in a bad sense.^(CGL 2021)^(Beekes 2010) The New Testament has both senses, the Magi and the sorcerer.^(CGL 2021)

+

+ Its derivatives include [[μαγικός|tr=magikós]] “magical” (the Septuagint, Plutarch), [[μαγεύω|tr=mageúō]] “to enchant” and [[μαγεία|tr=mageíā]] “magic”.^(Beekes 2010) Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|magus]].^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) Modern Greek ''μάγος'' is a magician, and ''μάγισσα'' a witch, a medieval derivative.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Heraclitus uses it.^(GLAUx)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus uses it for the Median priests.^(CGL 2021)^(GLAUx)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Sophocles uses it for a charlatan.^(CGL 2021)^(GLAUx)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it for the Magi and for a sorcerer.^(CGL 2021)

+ * Medieval – The feminine μάγισσα, “witch”, appears.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|magus]], member of the Median or Persian priestly class.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(plural)'' The Magians, a Median tribe.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|magician]], sorcerer; a charlatan.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Magical, enchanting.^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[μαγικός|tr=magikós]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|magus]]

+ * [[en|magic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}