magi

Ma·gi
M3A1G2I1
/ˈmæd͡ʒaɪ//ˈmeɪd͡ʒaɪ//ˈmeɪɡaɪ/US/ˈmeɪˌd͡ʒaɪ/

proper noun

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).

Less commonScrabble 7

Meanings

magi1

noun
  1. pluralplural of mage

    Synonyms: mages

  2. pluralplural of magus

    Synonyms: maguses

Magi2

proper nounMagi pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyChristianityChiefly 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).
    1 more example

    A rich Tabernacle where is kept the head of Saint Euſtorgio, and the Tomb of the three Magi, with this inſcription. Sepulchrum Trium Magorum, where lay the Bodies of thoſe Magi, which were brought hither by Saint Euſtorgio, in Anno 330. when he came laſt out of the Eaſt, but many yeers after, this City being deſtroyed by Fedrick Barbaroſſa, in Anno 1163.

    1660, Edmund Warcupp, transl., Italy, in its Original Glory, Ruine and Revival, London, →OCLC, page 70

    Synonyms: Three Kings, Three Wise Men, Wise Men

  2. broadlypluralplural onlyastronomyThe three bright stars (Alnitak (ζ Ori), Alnilam (ε Ori), and Mintaka (δ Ori)) that form Orion's Belt in the Orion constellation.

    Synonyms: Three Kings, Three Sisters

MAGI3

nounMAGI (plural MAGIs)

plural MAGIs

  1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of modified adjusted gross income.
    1 more example

    In the case of a taxpayer with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) over $400,000 ($200,000 for a married taxpayer filing a separate return), the cap would phase down by 20 percent of the excess of MAGI over the threshold until it reaches $10,000 ($5,000 for a married taxpayer filing a separate return).

    2025 May 29, “The One, Big, Beautiful Bill”, in United States House Committee on Ways & Means, page 37

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounChiefly 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 nounThe three bright stars (Alnitak (ζ Ori), Alnilam (ε Ori), and Mintaka (δ Ori)) that form Orion's Belt in the Orion constellation.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*megʰ-“to be able, have power; power; sorcerer”
  2. Old Iranian
  3. Ancient Greekμάγος
  4. Latinmagī
  5. Middle Englishmages
  6. EnglishMagi

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”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek μάγοι, Μάγοι
  • μάγοι (mágoi)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Μάγοι (Mágoi)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Arabic مَجُوس
  • مَجُوس (majūs)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Catalan Reis d'Orient
  • Reis d'Orientwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Chinese Mandarin 賢者 /贤者
  • 賢者 /贤者 (xiánzhě)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Danish de hellige tre konger, de tre vise mænd
  • de hellige tre kongerwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • de tre vise mændwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Dutch drie koningen, wijzen uit het oosten
  • drie koningenwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • wijzen uit het oostenwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Finnish Itämaan tietäjät, Orionin vyö
  • Itämaan tietäjätwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Orionin vyöthree bright stars that form Orion's Belt
French Rois mages
  • Rois mageswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
German Heilige Drei Könige, Weise aus dem Morgenland
  • Heilige Drei Königewise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Weise aus dem Morgenlandwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Greek Μάγοι
  • Μάγοι (Mágoi)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Hungarian háromkirályok, napkeleti bölcsek
  • háromkirályokwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • napkeleti bölcsekwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Italian maghi, Maghi
  • maghiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Maghiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Magiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Re Magiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Japanese 賢者
  • 賢者 (kenja)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Latin magi, Magi
  • magiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Magiwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Persian مغان, مغها
  • مغان (moġân)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • مغها (moġ-hâ)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Portuguese reis magos
  • reis magoswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Russian ма́ги, куде́сники
  • ма́ги (mági)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • куде́сники (kudésniki)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • мудрецы́ (mudrecý)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • волхвы́ (volxvý)wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Scottish Gaelic Na Trì Rìghrean, Na Druidhean
  • Na Trì Rìghreanwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Na Druidheanwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Spanish Reyes Magos, magos
  • Reyes Magoswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • magoswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Magoswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Tres Reyeswise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
Tagalog Tatlong Hari, Mago
  • Tatlong Hariwise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Magowise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus
  • Tres Mariasthree bright stars that form Orion's Belt
Vietnamese Ba Vua
  • Ba Vuawise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

magi. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magi

MLA

“magi.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magi. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “magi,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/magi.

Source: magi on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.