Standard Lemma guide

thaumaturgy

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈθɔːmətɜːd͡ʒi/
  • US: /ˈθɔməˌtɝd͡ʒi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The working of miracles, wonderworking; magic, witchcraft, wizardry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spellcasting, sorcery, witchery, bewitchery, black arts, charmwork, conjuration, conjuring, craft, dark arts, diablerie, druidcraft, dweomercraft, dwimmer, dwimmercraft, enchantment, goety, gypsycraft, hexcraft, hexerei, jugglery, magic, mojo, sortilege, spellcraft, spellwork, thaumaturgy, wandwork, warlockry, whistness, witchdom, witchcraft, witchwork, wizardry, wizardcraft, wonderworking

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic, legerdemain, conjuration, illusion, deception

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: performance

Narrower terms: card trick, prestidigitation, sleight of hand

3

noun

Meaning 3

any art that invokes supernatural powers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: magic

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: supernaturalism

Narrower terms: juju, mojo, conjuring, conjuration, conjury, invocation, sorcery, black magic, black art, necromancy, white magic

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek θαυματουργία (thaumatourgía), from θαῦμα (thaûma, “miracle, wonder”) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: taumatúrgia — the working of miracles
  • Chinese Mandarin: 戲法 /戏法 (xìfǎ) — the working of miracles
  • Esperanto: taŭmaturgio — the working of miracles
  • French: thaumaturgie — the working of miracles
  • German: Thaumaturgie — the working of miracles
  • German: Wundertätigkeit — the working of miracles
  • Italian: taumaturgia — the working of miracles
  • Portuguese: taumaturgia — the working of miracles
  • Spanish: taumaturgia — the working of miracles
  • Swedish: taumaturgi — the working of miracles
  • French: sorcellerie — witchcraft, wizardry
  • Japanese: 奇術 (kijutsu) — witchcraft, wizardry
  • Japanese: 魔術 (majutsu) — witchcraft, wizardry
  • Portuguese: feitiçaria — witchcraft, wizardry