wizard
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
Etymology: From Middle English wysard, wysarde, equivalent to wise + -ard. A uniquely medieval Anglo-Saxon word with no known morphologically exact cognates inside the Germanic family; 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).
Base: wise
Affixes: -ard
Inflected forms:
form: wizards
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: wizards
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: wizarding
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: wizarded
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: wizarded
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: Someone, usually male, who uses (or has skill with) magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices.
pos: noun
examples: The wizard conjured up a large fireball.
The wily wizard must be caught.
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.
But that's not what will make her a powerful wizard – more powerful than me, more powerful than Leesha, even more powerful than you.
gloss: One who is especially skilled or unusually talented in a particular field.
pos: noun
examples: He was a financial wizard, capable of predicting the movements of the stock markets.
gloss: A computer program or script used to simplify complex operations, often for an inexperienced user.
pos: noun
examples: 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 […]
gloss: An administrator of a multi-user dungeon, or someone who has earned similar rights through gameplay; a user in wizard mode.
pos: noun
tags: Internet
examples: 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[…]
It is certainly easy to believe the stories I hear of MUD wizards who demand deference and severely punish those who transgress […]
gloss: A wise man; a sage.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
examples: See how from far upon the eastern road / The star-led wizards [Magi] haste with odours sweet!
gloss: A virgin over the age of 30 who does not socialize and thus cannot find a sexual partner.
pos: noun
tags: humorous
sometimes
examples: “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.”
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).
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."
gloss: To practice wizardry.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
gloss: To conjure.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
Synonyms: witch
mage
sorcerer
Related words: illusionist
mage
magi
necromancer
warlock
witch
Derived words: archwizard
bewizard
grand wizard
half-wizard
hedge wizard
white wizard
Wizard Book
wizardess
wizard hat
wizardling
wizardly
wizard mode
wizard rock
wizardry
Translations: