wizard

1 of 2

noun

wiz·​ard ˈwi-zərd How to pronounce wizard (audio)
Synonyms of wizardnext
1
: one skilled in magic : sorcerer
2
: a very clever or skillful person
computer wizards
3
archaic : a wise man : sage

wizard

2 of 2

adjective

1
chiefly British : worthy of the highest praise : excellent
2
archaic : having magical influence or power
3
archaic : of or relating to wizardry : enchanted

Synonyms of wizard

Relevance

Noun

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of wizard in a Sentence

Noun He is a wizard at math. the old wizard who introduces the young naïf to a life of adventure is one of the most overworked tropes in fantasy literature Adjective a young Brit who's a wizard tennis player, although not ready for Wimbledon just yet
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Produced by Hollywood stunt champs 87North, the hard-hitting wizards that have been redefining fight choreography since John Wick, Violent Night 2, like its predecessor, promises heaps of gory and satisfyingly kinetic fight scenes. — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026 The team was blessed in absentia by Pope Leo XIV and routinely wanded by the wizard. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026 Edelman was a Wall Street wizard who taught a course at Columbia Business School called Corporate Raiding—The Art of War. — Michael Douglas, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 While Star Wars might be known for laser swords and space wizards, it's always been about weird little dudes doing even weirder things. — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wizard

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English wysard, from wis, wys wise

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of wizard was in the 15th century

Rhymes for wizard

See All Rhymes for wizard

Browse Nearby Words

wiz
wizard
wizardly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wizard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wizard. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

wizard

noun
wiz·​ard
ˈwiz-ərd
1
: a person skilled in magic : sorcerer, magician
2
: a very clever or skillful person
computer wizards
Etymology

Noun

Middle English wysard "wise man, a person skilled in magic," from wis, wys "wise," from Old English wis "wise"

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All