Magyk

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A stylized spelling of magic, the supernatural art of influencing events through spells, rituals, or hidden forces
2. An archaic-looking variant of magic, referring to the use of spells and mystical power to alter the natural world
3. Another spelling of magic, used especially in fantasy fiction for the arts of enchantment and sorcery

Etymology: "Magyk" is a deliberate respelling rather than a word with centuries of use. Angie Sage adopted it for the magic in her Septimus Heap fantasy novels, where the odd spelling makes the practice look older and stranger than the ordinary word. The k-ending has real precedent. Many English words once ended in "-ick," including "musick," "physick," and "publick," and "magick" was later taken up by occultists, most famously Aleister Crowley, who used it to distinguish serious ritual practice from stage conjuring. Sage's spelling draws on that tradition, signalling something older or more serious. Underneath it all is ordinary "magic," which comes through Latin "magicus" from Greek "magikos," derived from "magos," a term for the priestly class of ancient Persia. The y in place of i is the author's own touch, so the spelling still reads as "magic" while looking like a word from another language.