From Middle English wysard, wysarde, equivalent to wise + -ard. A uniquely medieval English word with no known morphologically exact cognates in other Germanic languages; did not gain distinct sense of "occultist, magic user" (as opposed to a philosopher or sage) until circa 1500s, aligning roughly with the starting English Renaissance.
However, via Proto-Indo-European *weyd- cognate with Proto-Celtic *druwits (whence English druid), Proto-Slavic *vědьma (Polish wiedźma, Russian ве́дьма (védʹma)), Russian веду́н (vedún).
The sense of "old (male) virgin" is from a Japanese Internet meme in which virgins who are typically friendless, shy outcasts and loners who don't fit in anywhere legendarily gain magical powers upon reaching 30 years of age; popularized ultimately by 4chan and adjacent online incel spaces.
Compare typologically specialist (<< Latin speciō).
But he was a wizard flyer, that boy. 1943, Howard Macy Coffin and Walter Leslie River, Malta Story:
"We had a wizard show," the young leader of an Australian squadron said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. 1942, Quentin James Reynolds, Only the Stars are Neutral:
From Middle English wysard, wysarde, equivalent to wise + -ard. A uniquely medieval English word with no known morphologically exact cognates in other Germanic languages; did not gain distinct sense of "occultist, magic user" (as opposed to a philosopher or sage) until circa 1500s, aligning roughly with the starting English Renaissance.
However, via Proto-Indo-European *weyd- cognate with Proto-Celtic *druwits (whence English druid), Proto-Slavic *vědьma (Polish wiedźma, Russian ве́дьма (védʹma)), Russian веду́н (vedún).
The sense of "old (male) virgin" is from a Japanese Internet meme in which virgins who are typically friendless, shy outcasts and loners who don't fit in anywhere legendarily gain magical powers upon reaching 30 years of age; popularized ultimately by 4chan and adjacent online incel spaces.
Compare typologically specialist (<< Latin speciō).
Meanings
Someone, usually male, who uses (or has skill with) magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices.
The wizard conjured up a large fireball.
The wily wizard must be caught. 1697, John Dryden, Translation of Virgil's Georgics:
He found himself watching a couple of wizards doing what he at first mistook for the beginning of a dance, and then for a session of tai chi. But suddenly he realized they were signing. 2016 February 2, Diane Duane, Games Wizards Play, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, →ISBN:
But that's not what will make her a powerful wizard – more powerful than me, more powerful than Leesha, even more powerful than you. 2021 November 1, Dale Stubbart, The Wizard Without a Wand, Dale Stubbart:
One who is especially skilled or unusually talented in a particular field.
He was a financial wizard, capable of predicting the movements of the stock markets.
A computer program or script used to simplify complex operations, often for an inexperienced user.
Use the "Add Network Connection" wizard to connect to a network in a series of simple steps.
Figure 10-10 shows a typical wizard. The user enters data in New Employee on each tab and then moves on to the next one. This wizard asks […] 2010 September 17, Bill Evjen, Christian Nagel, Rod Stephens, Robert Vieira, Nick Randolph, .NET 4 Wrox PDF Bundle: Professional ASP.NET 4, Professional C# 4, VB 2010 Programmer's Ref, WPF Programmer's Ref, Professional Visual Studio 2010, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 169:
(Internet) An administrator of a multi-user dungeon, or someone who has earned similar rights through gameplay; a user in wizard mode.
It is certainly easy to believe the stories I hear of MUD wizards who demand deference and severely punish those who transgress […] 1997, Sara Kiesler, editor, Culture of the Internet, page 132:
Wizards, in general, have a very different experience of mudding than other players. Because of their palpable and extensive extra powers over other players, and because of their special role in MUD society, they are frequently treated differently[…] 1997, Philip Agre and Douglas Schuler, Reinventing Technology, Rediscovering Community: Critical Explorations of Computing as a Social Practice, page 153:
(obsolete) A wise man; a sage.
See how from far upon the eastern road / The star-led wizards [Magi] haste with odours sweet! 1629, John Milton, “On the Morning of Christs Nativity”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
(humorous, qualifier:4chan slang and incel slang, sometimes) A virgin over the age of 30 who does not socialize and thus cannot find a sexual partner.
“I see this image of the basement-dwelling wizard who rejects societal conventions to such an extreme degree as one of the tragic heroes of our times.” 2014 September 23, Joe Zadeh, quoting Jon Rafman, “"Musician rebels embrace darknet to explore uncensored internet frontiers”, in Guardian:
Incels are mostly losers who don’t get laid — involuntarily celibate. Basically it’s a giant pity party that started on the 4chan board R9K. R9K is a board on 4chan where inceldom started. They have their own terms and stuff like that. For example if you’re over 30 and still a virgin they call you a "Wizard." 2018 April 25, Oli Dugmore, “What is an incel? A former member of the internet subculture explains”, in JOE:
The incels’ folk hero is the 30-year-old virgin wizard – if you can make it to 30 without having sex, you will be endowed with magical powers. And the threads are so pathetic that it is hard to feel anything but ambient pity (on the site Wiz Chan – subtitle “disregard females, acquire magic” – one thread titled How do I live in my sedan? is like a short story). 2018 April 25, Zoe Williams, “‘Raw hatred’: why the 'incel' movement targets and terrorises women”, in The Guardian:
(qualifier:4chan slang) Someone who deepfakes pornographic material using content from social media (usually selfies of people) at the request of others.
tg ҷодугар (person skilled with magic) · am ዓዋቂ (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · cs asistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · mn арш (person skilled with magic) · frr Gögeler (person skilled with magic) · ga draoi (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · sh vjéštac (person skilled with magic) · pl kreator (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · vi trình trợ giúp (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · rmw čovexano (person skilled with magic) · nb assistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · as যাদুকৰ (person skilled with magic) · sh ве́штац (person skilled with magic) · pt assistente (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · cmn 嚮導 /向导 (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · be шапту́н (person skilled with magic) · nn runekall (person skilled with magic) · sh асѝстент (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · be чарадзе́й (person skilled with magic) · vi trình hướng dẫn (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · es nigromante (person skilled with magic) · vi phù thuỷ (person skilled with magic) · ka ჯადოქარი (person skilled with magic) · ka მისანი (person skilled with magic) · ca màgic (person skilled with magic) · sh čaròbnjāk (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · es grande (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · da troldmand (person skilled with magic) · eo asistanto (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sl pomočnik (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · da troldkarl (person skilled with magic) · sco juglour (person skilled with magic) · rml čovaxaj (person skilled with magic) · as ওজা (person skilled with magic) · ug سېھىرگەر (person skilled with magic) · ru помо́щник (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · lo ຜູ້ວິເສດ (person skilled with magic) · ng omulodhi class 1 (person skilled with magic) · hy կախարդ (person skilled with magic) · bg ве́щер (person skilled with magic) · lv vednis (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ug جادۇگەر (person skilled with magic) · ro magician (person skilled with magic) · nl magiër (person skilled with magic) · sk čarodejník (person skilled with magic) · tk jadygöý (person skilled with magic) · ki mũrogi (person skilled with magic) · fi tietäjä (wise man; sage) · dz སྒྱུ་མ་མཁན (person skilled with magic) · yi מכשף (person skilled with magic) · bn জাদুকর (person skilled with magic) · it procedura guidata (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · tr büyücü (person skilled with magic) · pl czarodziej (person skilled with magic) · tg афсунгар (person skilled with magic) · de Magier (person skilled with magic) · mk волшебник (person skilled with magic) · ru ведьма́к (person skilled with magic) · kmr sihirbaz (person skilled with magic) · bg магьо́сник (person skilled with magic) · cmn 巫師 /巫师 (person skilled with magic) · ca expert (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · hi मान्त्रिक (person skilled with magic) · cu чародѣи (person skilled with magic) · uz jodugar (person skilled with magic) · fi velho (person skilled with magic) · bg магьосница (person skilled with magic) · ps سحرګر (person skilled with magic) · ru волше́бник (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · sv guide (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sk čarodej (person skilled with magic) · ro mag (person skilled with magic) · mi tohunga ruānuku (person skilled with magic) · es mago (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · prs سِحْرْبَاز (person skilled with magic) · tr sihirbaz (person skilled with magic) · ur جادُوگَر (person skilled with magic) · ca bruixot (person skilled with magic) · uz sohir (person skilled with magic) · id panduan (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · cs mág (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · ru волше́бник (person skilled with magic) · rmw gožvalo gådžo (person skilled with magic) · lo ນະເລນ (person skilled with magic) · id wisaya (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ja ウィザード (person skilled with magic) · cmn 精靈 /精灵 (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · he אַשָּף (person skilled with magic) · af towenaar (person skilled with magic) · rmy karankoča (person skilled with magic) · es asistente (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · kk шебер (person skilled with magic) · rmy karankoči (person skilled with magic) · pl wiedźmak (person skilled with magic) · ps جادوګر (person skilled with magic) · pt feiticeiro (person skilled with magic) · uz sehrgar (person skilled with magic) · alt тармачы (person skilled with magic) · ms sahir (person skilled with magic) · sk kúzelník (person skilled with magic) · cs čaroděj (person skilled with magic) · kmr sahir (person skilled with magic) · sh asìstent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · kmr cadûger (person skilled with magic) · gl feiticeiro (person skilled with magic) · rmn dźadîs (person skilled with magic) · de Hexenmeister (person skilled with magic) · es maestro (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · el μάγος (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · bg магьосник (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · ko 마법사 (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ky жадыгер (person skilled with magic) · es mago (person skilled with magic) · ru ге́ний (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · it mago (person skilled with magic) · he אַשָּף (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · fy tsjoender (person skilled with magic) · ast bruxu (person skilled with magic) · la magus (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · hu varázsló (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ur ساحِر (person skilled with magic) · uk колду́н (person skilled with magic) · sh véštac (person skilled with magic) · tg соҳир (person skilled with magic) · kw pystrier (person skilled with magic) · fa-ira جادوگَر (person skilled with magic) · rmw herimentos (person skilled with magic) · hu varázsló (person skilled with magic) · nn tauvrekall (person skilled with magic) · be чараўні́к (person skilled with magic) · la fascinātor (person skilled with magic) · mi tānematarau (person skilled with magic) · hi अभिचारक (person skilled with magic) · uk маг (person skilled with magic) · ko 마술사 (person skilled with magic) · id ahli sihir (person skilled with magic) · yao msaŵi class 1 (person skilled with magic) · da troldkvinde (person skilled with magic) · ms baz (person skilled with magic) · sh чаро̀бња̄к (person skilled with magic) · eo agordilo (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sh чаро̀бња̄к (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sh сихирбаз (person skilled with magic) · sl čarovnik (person skilled with magic) · pdt Hajksenmeista (person skilled with magic) · ca mag (internet: administrators of a multi-user dungeon) · sco sorcerar (person skilled with magic) · la venēficus (person skilled with magic) · es brujo (person skilled with magic) · pt bruxo (person skilled with magic) · sw mchawi (person skilled with magic) · mk маѓесник (person skilled with magic) · uk ві́зард (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · lo ໝໍຜີ (person skilled with magic) · ky сыйкырчы (person skilled with magic) · ca savi (wise man; sage) · grc μάγος (person skilled with magic) · sv assistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ga asarlaí (person skilled with magic) · eo sorĉisto (person skilled with magic) · ru маг (person skilled with magic) · rom ćovaxano (person skilled with magic) · az ustad (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · az sehrbaz (person skilled with magic) · sq yshtëse (person skilled with magic) · fr assistant (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ko 위저드 (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · uk чароді́й (person skilled with magic) · vo himagival (person skilled with magic) · cu влъхвъ (person skilled with magic) · it assistente (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · mi ruānuku (person skilled with magic) · nn trollkall (person skilled with magic) · ca mag (person skilled with magic) · la magus (wise man; sage) · gd draoidh (person skilled with magic) · es hechicero (person skilled with magic) · egy V17-w-A1 (person skilled with magic) · cy swynwr (person skilled with magic) · sh стру̏чња̄к (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · nb trollmann (person skilled with magic) · gl asistente (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · is galdramaður (person skilled with magic) · fr mage (person skilled with magic) · ja 魔法使い (person skilled with magic) · sh čaròbnjāk (person skilled with magic) · tt күрәзәче (person skilled with magic) · ga draoi (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ca assistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · he אַשָּף (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · ja 魔男 (person skilled with magic) · mn илбэчин (person skilled with magic) · nn trollmann (person skilled with magic) · cs mág (person skilled with magic) · cmn 魔術師 /魔术师 (person skilled with magic) · ca fetiller (person skilled with magic) · ps مغ (person skilled with magic) · rmy vrêžîtori (person skilled with magic) · bg магьосник (person skilled with magic) · he מְכַשֵּׁף (person skilled with magic) · tk ussat (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ga draíodóir (person skilled with magic) · km ទិព្វ (person skilled with magic) · is galdrakarl (person skilled with magic) · ar سَاحِر (person skilled with magic) · vi trình thuật sĩ (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ga saineolaí (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · fa-ira سِحْرْباز (person skilled with magic) · lt burtininkas (person skilled with magic) · km មេធ្មប់ (person skilled with magic) · af ghoeroe (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · gl baluro (person skilled with magic) · id tukang sihir (person skilled with magic) · la magus (person skilled with magic) · tt тылсымчы (person skilled with magic) · es amo (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · mk по́мошник (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · be вядзьма́к (person skilled with magic) · th พ่อมด (person skilled with magic) · la fascināns (person skilled with magic) · mn шидтэн (person skilled with magic) · fa-ira ساحِر (person skilled with magic) · el μάγος (person skilled with magic) · sh volšebnik (person skilled with magic) · lo ພໍ່ມົດ (person skilled with magic) · it mago (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · pdt Zaubra (person skilled with magic) · ru ма́стер (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · gd draoidh (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · gu જાદુગર (person skilled with magic) · nl assistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · id penuntun (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · kmr sihirker (person skilled with magic) · izh tiitäjä (person skilled with magic) · ka ოსტატი (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ms ahli sihir (person skilled with magic) · ar مُشَعْوِذ (person skilled with magic) · fr sorcier (person skilled with magic) · prs سَاحِر (person skilled with magic) · uk ма́йстер (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · ru ассисте́нт (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · oc bruèis (person skilled with magic) · sh волшебник (person skilled with magic) · lv zintnieks (person skilled with magic) · mi hīnātore (wise man; sage) · rmc čohano (person skilled with magic) · hi जादूगर (person skilled with magic) · ka გრძნეული (person skilled with magic) · uk відьма́к (person skilled with magic) · eo magiisto (person skilled with magic) · sk sprievodca (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · la maga (person skilled with magic) · rmy čoxano (person skilled with magic) · yue 巫師 /巫师 (person skilled with magic) · ang drȳ (person skilled with magic) · be маг (person skilled with magic) · kk сиқыршы (person skilled with magic) · uk чаклу́н (person skilled with magic) · vi thuật sĩ (person skilled with magic) · fi velho (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · orv чародѣи (person skilled with magic) · prs جَادُوگَر (person skilled with magic) · sco weird (person skilled with magic) · cmn 鬼才 (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · uz afsungar (person skilled with magic) · ru колду́н (person skilled with magic) · az cadugər (person skilled with magic) · ro vrăjitor (person skilled with magic) · hu segéd (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · mi wānanga (wise man; sage) · sl čarovnik (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · mk вештер (person skilled with magic) · be вядзьма́р (person skilled with magic) · sv trollkarl (person skilled with magic) · rml čovaxanò (person skilled with magic) · cs kouzelník (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · gl bruxo (person skilled with magic) · sco varlet (person skilled with magic) · cs průvodce (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · fi apuri (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · kn ಮಾಂತ್ರಿಕ (person skilled with magic) · he קוֹסֵם (person skilled with magic) · hi ओझा (person skilled with magic) · ce холмачхо (person skilled with magic) · gd buidseach (person skilled with magic) · ko 마법사 (person skilled with magic) · mt saħħar (person skilled with magic) · pl wiedźmarz (person skilled with magic) · id wahana pandu (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · cs kouzelník (person skilled with magic) · uk чарівни́к (person skilled with magic) · gl vedoiro (person skilled with magic) · sk asistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sh вје́штац (person skilled with magic) · cy dewin (person skilled with magic) · pt mago (person skilled with magic) · cmn 妖人 (person skilled with magic) · cmn 男巫 (person skilled with magic) · da magiker (person skilled with magic) · cmn 覡 /觋 (person skilled with magic) · bg вълше́бник (person skilled with magic) · mk магионичар (person skilled with magic) · ga draoi (person skilled with magic) · ja 魔術師 (person skilled with magic) · vo jimagival (person skilled with magic) · id penyihir (person skilled with magic) · be ма́йстар (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · et võlur (person skilled with magic) · el μάγισσα (person skilled with magic) · gl meigo (person skilled with magic) · mi ruānuku (wise man; sage) · af slimmerd (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · lo ຄົນວິເສດ (person skilled with magic) · mg mpamosavy (person skilled with magic) · sco warlock (person skilled with magic) · is vitki (person skilled with magic) · nso wisate (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · de Assistent (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · nl eunjer (person skilled with magic) · ur سِحْر باز (person skilled with magic) · sh strȕčnjāk (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · sq yshtës (person skilled with magic) · de Zauberer (person skilled with magic) · hi साहिर (person skilled with magic) · sh sihirbaz (person skilled with magic) · tt сихерче (person skilled with magic) · nl tovenaar (person skilled with magic) · bg чароде́й (person skilled with magic) · cs vědmák (person skilled with magic) · cmn 奇才 (person skilled or unusually talented in a particular field) · lv burvis (person skilled with magic) · is töframaður (person skilled with magic) · vo magival (person skilled with magic) · ja ウィザード (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · bg мъдрец (wise man; sage) · uk асисте́нт (computing: program or script used to simplify complex operations) · my ကဝေ (person skilled with magic) · pl czarownik (person skilled with magic) · tl asbang (person skilled with magic) · la fascinātōrius (person skilled with magic) · ru чароде́й (person skilled with magic)
From Middle English wysard, wysarde, equivalent to wise + -ard. A uniquely medieval English word with no known morphologically exact cognates in other Germanic languages; did not gain distinct sense of "occultist, magic user" (as opposed to a philosopher or sage) until circa 1500s, aligning roughly with the starting English Renaissance.
However, via Proto-Indo-European *weyd- cognate with Proto-Celtic *druwits (whence English druid), Proto-Slavic *vědьma (Polish wiedźma, Russian ве́дьма (védʹma)), Russian веду́н (vedún).
The sense of "old (male) virgin" is from a Japanese Internet meme in which virgins who are typically friendless, shy outcasts and loners who don't fit in anywhere legendarily gain magical powers upon reaching 30 years of age; popularized ultimately by 4chan and adjacent online incel spaces.
Compare typologically specialist (<< Latin speciō).