thaumato-, thaumat-

(Greek: wonder, a wondrous thing; miracle, miraculous, magic; something to look at; sight, spectacle)

thaumaturgics (s) (noun) (a plural that functions as a singular)
Feats of magic, conjuring tricks.
  • The gods of mythologic philosophies were created to account for the wonders of nature.
  • Necessarily they were wonder-working individuals, and having been endowed with these magical powers in all the histories given in mythic tales of their activities on the earth, we find them performing amazing feats.
  • They could transform themselves; they were able to disappear and reappear; all their senses were magical; some were endowed with a multiplicity of eyes, others had an abundance of ears.
  • In Norse mythology the watchman on the rainbow bridge could hear the grass grow, and the movements of wool on the backs of sheep.
  • Their arms were able to stretch out to grasp the distance, tails could coil about mountains, and all their powers became magical.
  • The most wonderful power with which the gods were endowed was the capacity of will, for we find that they could think their arrows to the hearts of their enemies; mountains were overthrown by thought, and their conceptions were projected into other minds
  • Such were the thaumaturgics of mythologic philosophy.

—Information for this entry was compiled from the following sources:
The Development of Modern English by Stuart Robertson and revised by Frederic G. Cassidy.
The Origins and Development of the English Language by Thomas Pyles.
A History of the English Language by Albert C. Baugh.
The Story of the English Language by Mario Pei.
thaumaturgism (s) (noun), thaumaturgisms (pl)
1. The performance of miracles or magic.
2. The act, or art, of performing something wonderful; magic; legerdemain.
thaumaturgist (s) (noun), thaumaturgists (pl)
Someone who performs wonders or miracles: A very famous Italian thaumaturgist was Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, who was a magician and alchemist in the 1700s.
A worker of miracles.
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thaumaturgize (verb), thaumaturgizes; thaumaturgized; thaumaturgizing
To perform wonders.
Thaumaturgus (s) (noun); Thaumaturgi, Thaumaturguses (pl)
A worker of miracles; a title which some Roman Catholics once gave to certain saints: St. Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux (1090-1153), known as the mellifluous doctor for his wisdom and influence, was said to be so effective in his work for the Church that he acquired the title Thaumaturgus of the West.
thaumaturgy (s) (noun), thaumaturgies (pl)
The production of miracles or magic: Janice was very interested in wizardry and decided to take a course in thaumaturgy in order to learn different kinds of supernatural powers; including, conjuring, witchcraft, and unusual revelations.
The performance of wonders or miracles.

A successful rendition of magic.
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The performance of magic.

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A cross reference of another word family that is related directly, or indirectly, to: "miracle, wonder, wondrous": mirac-.