thaumaturgy

English

WOTD – 21 September 2006

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thaumaturgy

Wikipedia

From Ancient Greek θαυματουργία (thaumatourgía), from θαῦμα (thaûma, “miracle, wonder”) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”).

thaumaturgy (countable and uncountable, plural thaumaturgies)

The working of miracles, wonderworking; magic, witchcraft, wizardry.
- 1853, Thomas De Quincey, “Introduction to the World of Strife”, in Autobiographic Sketches (De Quincey’s Works; I), London: James Hogg & Sons, →OCLC, page 40:
  On all subjects known to man, from the Thirty-nine Articles of our English Church, down to pyrotechnics, legerdemain, magic, both black and white, thaumaturgy, and necromancy, he favoured the world (which world was the nursery where I lived amongst my sisters) with his select opinions.
- 1898, H. G. Wells, The Man Who Could Work Miracles:
  There were astonishing changes. The small hours found Mr. Maydig and Mr. Fotheringay careering across the chilly market square under the still moon, in a sort of ecstasy of thaumaturgy, Mr. Maydig all flap and gesture, Mr. Fotheringay short and bristling, and no longer abashed at his greatness

the working of miracles

witchcraft, wizardry