Conjurors

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who entertain others by performing magic tricks ; persons who call upon spirits or supernatural powers through rituals or spells
2. Those who amuse audiences with sleight of hand and illusions ; those who invoke otherworldly entities for mystical purposes
3. People skilled in presenting magical performances ; practitioners who use ceremonial acts to evoke supernatural beings

Etymology: "Conjurors" is the plural of "conjuror", the performer who makes things seem to vanish, multiply or appear out of nowhere. The singular takes its plural in the usual English way, so the spelling "conjurors" is the form to use when referring to several such performers at once. The noun itself traces back to the Latin verb "conjurare", meaning to swear together or band together under oath, and the sense of invoking spirits or performing magic developed from that idea of solemn binding. The performers' trade is therefore named for a ritual of calling on supernatural power, and the sleight-of-hand entertainer inherited the title from the earlier practitioner of spells.

Synonyms: magicians, illusionists, sorcerers