[[Image:Dumbeldore1.png|thumb|350px|Albus Dumbledore, from the ''Harry Potter'' series, is a traditional wizard.]] A wizard (from 'wise') is a practitioner of magic (paranormal), especially in folklore, fantasy fiction, and fantasy role-playing games. In popular use in 16th century England it was used to denote a helpful male folk magican, a cunning folk as they were usually called, and the male equivalent of a witch. The word does not generally apply to neopaganisms, or to magic (illusion)s (properly termed illusionists) like David Copperfield (illusionist), Paul Daniels, or James Randi. They have historical roots in the Shamans. Colloquially anyone who is especially adept at some obscure or difficult endeavor may be referred to as a ''wizard.'' For instance someone who is particularly skilled with computers might be referred to as a "programming wizard." (However, normal usage applies more specialized superlatives to specific fields of endeavor, thus a musician is more likely to be called a "maestro" than a "wizard"). ==Related terms== [[Image:Mckellen gandalf ttt poster.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Gandalf, from ''The Lord of the Rings'', is a famous literary wizard.]] In most cases there is little to differentiate a wizard from similar fictional and folkloric practitioners of magic such as an enchanter, a magic (paranormal), a sorcerer, a necromancer, or a thaumaturgist, but specific authors and works use the names with narrower meanings. When such distinctions are made, sorcerers are more often practitioners of invocations or black magic, and there may be variations on level and type of power associated with each name. ''Dungeons & Dragons'' Third Edition distinguishes between the sorcerer and wizard character classes as follows: * "Sorcerers create magic (paranormal) the way poets create poems, with inborn talent honed by practice." * "Wizards depend on intensive study to create their magic... For a wizard, magic is not a talent but a deliberate rewarding art." Steve Pemberton's ''The Times & Life of Lucifer Jones'' deecribes the distinction thusly: "The difference between a wizard and a sorcerer is comparable to that between, say, a lion and a tiger, but wizards are acutely status-conscious, and to them, it's more like the difference between a lion and a dead kitten." ==Myths and Legends== Wizards found in old fairy tales and myths include: * Faust - an alchemist, but in some versions of the tale also a magician. * Merlin (wizard), the famous wizard from Arthurian legends and their modern retellings. * Prospero is the famous wizard in William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest (play)''. * The Telchines, four wizards of ancient Greek myths. * Thoth, Egyptian god of magic. * The wizard in fairy tale of The Wizard King. ==Fiction== [[Image:Tim the enchanter.jpg|right|thumb|Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) from Monty Python and the Holy Grail]] Famous wizards in folklore and fantasy fiction (sometimes both) include: * Allanon is a wizard, also known as a Druidry and historian, from the Shannara series, which was created by Terry Brooks. * Belgarath - created by David Eddings as a leading character for ''The Belgariad'' series of fantasy novels (also called 'Belgarath the Sorcerer'). * Chun the Inescapable, Rhialto the Marvelous, and others - from Jack Vance's ''Dying Earth'' stories. * Crispinophur is the wizard that helped King Graham in the King's Quest computer game series created by Roberta Williams and produced by the game company Sierra Entertainment. * The Dean of Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series is not named, but is a senior wizard and recurring character. * Doctor Strange is a wizard superhero and Sorcerer Supreme in the Marvel Universe. Doctor Fate is the DC Universe equivalent. * Elminster - featured in many of the Forgotten Realms fantasy novels and RPGs. * Elric of Melniboné - often called a sorcerer or a wizard - from Michael Moorcock's ''Elric of Melniboné'' and its sequels. * Fizban is the mortal avatar of the god Paladine from the Dragonlance fantasy novels. * Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast (Middle-earth) - from J. R. R. Tolkien ''The Lord of the Rings'' - are called Wizards (Middle-earth), but are really supernatural entities. In the Middle-earth legendarium, "wizard" is a term applied only to the five members of the Order of the Istari; the term "wizard" could never be applied to a human, and a human magic user is simply called a sorcerer. The other two wizards are Pallando and Alatar the Blue Wizards. * Gareth Yaztromo is a major wizard in the world of Titan (world), which was created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. * J. Wellington Wells ("a dealer in magic and spells") - the eponymous The Sorcerer of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, who also features in two books by Tom Holt. * Michael Scot - protagonist of Michael Scott Rohan's ''The Lord of Middle Air'' - a historical figure and an ancestor of the author! * Mondain was the villainous wizard of the first Ultima game. * Mordenkainen was the greatest wizard in the Greyhawk fantasy series by Wizards of the Coast. * Obi-Wan Kenobi, as a master of the Force (Star Wars), has some wizard-like attributes in George Lucas' Star Wars films: "That wizard's just a crazy old man" said Minor residents of Tatooine#Lars, Owen to Luke Skywalker in ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''. * Ponder Stibbons is the Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic at Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' novels. * Magician (novel) (also known as Milamber) is the wizard protagonist of the fantasy books by Raymond E. Feist. * Mustrum Ridcully - Archancellor of Unseen University throughout most of Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series. *Ningauble of the Seven Eyes and Sheelba of the Eyeless Face are the sorcerous advisors for Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, in Fritz Leiber Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series. They are (apparently) unhuman, and they aid (in other words, complicate the lives of) the two rogue heroes. * Rincewind - strictly a "Wizzard" (it says so on his hat) and the wizards of Unseen University - from many of Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' novels. * The evil entity Randall Flagg from author Stephen King's works occasionally appears as a wizard, notably in the novel ''Eyes of the Dragon''. * Shazam, the ancient Egyptian wizard who gives Captain Marvel (DC Comics) and the Marvel Family their powers. * Sparrowhawk or Ged - from Ursula K. LeGuin's ''A Wizard of Earthsea'' and its sequels. * Tim Hunter, the young wizard in the ''Books of Magic'' comic by Neil Gaiman and others. The eponymous character of L. Frank Baum's ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a stage magician pretending to be a genuine wizard; in the The Wizard of Oz (1939 movie) the wizard was also a fake. However, in later Oz stories, he studies magic with Glinda and becomes a genuine wizard. In some fictional and game settings, ''wizard'' or a similar term is the name for a "race" or species, not just a job description. For example: * The five Wizards (Middle-earth) in ''The Lord of the Rings'' (also mentioned above) * "Black Mages" in the video game series Final Fantasy(some games) * "Demon Sorcerers" in the TV show Jackie Chan Adventures =="Real-Life" Wizards== In history, there have been several real people who are popularly believed, or who claimed to be, wizards, sorcerers, etc. Examples include: * Aleister Crowley is a controversial figure, the most famous "modern wizard," who is believed to have coined the alternate spelling, "magick." * John Dee, whose magical powers were said to come from angels. * John Diamond, and his granddaughter, Molly Pitcher, were supposed to have the ability to foretell the future and help (or doom) sailors at sea. * Gerald Fitzgerald, the Earl of Desmond, was said to be a shapeshifter wizard, whose spirit is said to still haunt the living. * Nicholas Flamel, though he is really more of an alchemist. * Michael Scot may have been fictional, though those who claim his reality say he could do amazing feats by conversing with spirits. Fictional magicians Magic
As suggested at talk:wizards as a race I merged that page into this one. However, it's not clear to me that the additional information is encyclopedic ... or even accurate. The Istari are better described as incarnate angels than as a race, and I have no knowledge of the other examples given. Thoughts? User:Zack 03:31, 10 Feb 2004 (UTC) What is paranormal magic? How does it differ from magic? Harry Potter is an example of a wizard in training to use MAGIC. :I suspect that paranormal magic is magic in the mystical sense, whereas regular magic is what's practiced by Penn and Teller. User:Snowspinner 17:20, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) Should this maybe be a disambig page leading to the various types of wizards? User:Snowspinner 17:20, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) How many types of wizards exist inside and outside our imagination? They all do magic limited by psi? A wizard's hat can make a broom come alive. How is this related to the limits of psi? A wizard could change young Arthur into animals? Psi??? Wizards as administrators in MUDS and MUSHES, Wizard as in the Who musical, Wizard as in the bands, Wizard as in a utility in a program to fast-create something... User:Snowspinner 17:55, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) I think sorcercerers have an evil connotation while wizards, good.--User:Jondel 08:56, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC) I've just removed the following from the main page since it isn't actually true (the five magics in the book are in fact separate disciplines, not a hierachy): "Lyndon Hardy's ''Master of the Five Magics'' suggests ascending ranks of thaumaturgist, alchemy, magician, sorcerer, and wizard." User:Kvetch 15:45, 26 May 2005 (UTC) == ''Star Wars'' image == What's the image of the ''Star Wars'' guy doing here? He's not a wizard or sorceror; he's a Sith! He doesn't even use magic; he uses the Force. _JarlaxleArtemis">User:JarlaxleArtemis 00:28, Apr 21, 2005 (UTC)
:I agree. Even if he is a sorcerer, it's borderline. I've removed it.--User:JiFish 14:15, 3 May 2005 (UTC)
Oh, is that so? Even if YOU - but one person- agree, doesn't mean YOU should remove it...Isn't "the force" some kind of magic, per se? Which makes "a Star Wars"-guy proficent in it, some kind of wizard - in a sense. Who says they have to be medieval? --User:OleMaster 16:33, 26 May 2005 (UTC)
:Certainly I a agree that he ''could'' be considered a Wizard. However, it never states it specifically in the movies. I don't believe we need to confuse the subject with borderline cases. This is an encyclopedia, not a trivia book. Also, I don't think they have to medieval. Use a clear case of a Wizard in a modern or futuristic setting instead.
Finally, the original objection was online for over ten days. People had more than enough time to justify why it should stay. Nobody responded. ----User:JiFish(User_talk:JiFish/Special:Contributions/JiFish) 11:45, 27 May 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
Words begining with Wizard:
Wizard
Wizard
Wizard's_Chess
Wizard's_chess
Wizard's_Crown
Wizard's_fire
Wizard's_First_Rule
Wizard's_Rule
Wizard's_rules
Wizard's_sleeve
Wizard-of-oz-mgm-title.jpg
Wizard-shazam.jpg
Wizard98
Wizardmon
Wizardofozmovieposter.jpg
WizardOfTheCDrive
WizardOfTheCDrive
Wizardphrog
Wizardry
Wizardry
Wizards
Wizardswand
Wizardswand
Wizards_(Middle-earth)
Wizards_(Movie)
Wizards_(Movie)
Wizards_(movie)
Wizards_(movie)
Wizards_and_Warriors
Wizards_and_Warriors_II:_Ironsword
Wizards_and_Warriors_III
Wizards_as_a_race
Wizards_as_a_race
Wizards_crown
Wizards_of_Dungeons_&_Dragons
Wizards_of_OS
Wizards_of_the_Coast
Wizards_of_the_coast
Wizards_of_the_Coast_headquarters.jpg
Wizards_of_the_Coast_logo.jpg
Wizard_&_Glass
Wizard_(cards)
Wizard_(comics)
Wizard_(computer_game)
Wizard_(disambiguation)
Wizard_(magazine)
Wizard_(Marvel_Comics)
Wizard_(Middle-earth)
Wizard_(of_Oz)
Wizard_(Oz)
Wizard_(Oz)
Wizard_(programming)
Wizard_(software)
Wizard_(software)
Wizard_78.jpg
Wizard_and_Glass
Wizard_Card_Game
Wizard_card_game
Wizard_Cup
Wizard_Entertainment
Wizard_Giller
Wizard_Home_Loans_Cup
Wizard_of_id
Wizard_of_Menlo_Park
Wizard_of_New_Zealand.jpg
Wizard_of_Odds
Wizard_of_Oz
Wizard_of_oz
Wizard_of_Oz/Scarecrow
Wizard_of_Oz_(book)
Wizard_Of_Space_And_Time
Wizard_of_Space_and_Time
Wizard_of_the_Hood
Wizard_of_the_Hood_EP
Wizard_of_Woz
Wizard_of_Yendor
Wizard_People,_Dear_Reader
Wizard_Press
Wizard_title_page.jpg
Wizard
[[Image:Dumbeldore1.png|thumb|350px|Albus Dumbledore, from the ''Harry Potter'' series, is a traditional wizard.]] A wizard (from 'wise') is a practitioner of magic (paranormal), especially in folklore, fantasy fiction, and fantasy role-playing games. In popular use in 16th century England it was used to denote a helpful male folk magican, a cunning folk as they were usually called, and the male equivalent of a witch. The word does not generally apply to neopaganisms, or to magic (illusion)s (properly termed illusionists) like David Copperfield (illusionist), Paul Daniels, or James Randi. They have historical roots in the Shamans. Colloquially anyone who is especially adept at some obscure or difficult endeavor may be referred to as a ''wizard.'' For instance someone who is particularly skilled with computers might be referred to as a "programming wizard." (However, normal usage applies more specialized superlatives to specific fields of endeavor, thus a musician is more likely to be called a "maestro" than a "wizard"). ==Related terms== [[Image:Mckellen gandalf ttt poster.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Gandalf, from ''The Lord of the Rings'', is a famous literary wizard.]] In most cases there is little to differentiate a wizard from similar fictional and folkloric practitioners of magic such as an enchanter, a magic (paranormal), a sorcerer, a necromancer, or a thaumaturgist, but specific authors and works use the names with narrower meanings. When such distinctions are made, sorcerers are more often practitioners of invocations or black magic, and there may be variations on level and type of power associated with each name. ''Dungeons & Dragons'' Third Edition distinguishes between the sorcerer and wizard character classes as follows: * "Sorcerers create magic (paranormal) the way poets create poems, with inborn talent honed by practice." * "Wizards depend on intensive study to create their magic... For a wizard, magic is not a talent but a deliberate rewarding art." Steve Pemberton's ''The Times & Life of Lucifer Jones'' deecribes the distinction thusly: "The difference between a wizard and a sorcerer is comparable to that between, say, a lion and a tiger, but wizards are acutely status-conscious, and to them, it's more like the difference between a lion and a dead kitten." ==Myths and Legends== Wizards found in old fairy tales and myths include: * Faust - an alchemist, but in some versions of the tale also a magician. * Merlin (wizard), the famous wizard from Arthurian legends and their modern retellings. * Prospero is the famous wizard in William Shakespeare's ''The Tempest (play)''. * The Telchines, four wizards of ancient Greek myths. * Thoth, Egyptian god of magic. * The wizard in fairy tale of The Wizard King. ==Fiction== [[Image:Tim the enchanter.jpg|right|thumb|Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) from Monty Python and the Holy Grail]] Famous wizards in folklore and fantasy fiction (sometimes both) include: * Allanon is a wizard, also known as a Druidry and historian, from the Shannara series, which was created by Terry Brooks. * Belgarath - created by David Eddings as a leading character for ''The Belgariad'' series of fantasy novels (also called 'Belgarath the Sorcerer'). * Chun the Inescapable, Rhialto the Marvelous, and others - from Jack Vance's ''Dying Earth'' stories. * Crispinophur is the wizard that helped King Graham in the King's Quest computer game series created by Roberta Williams and produced by the game company Sierra Entertainment. * The Dean of Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series is not named, but is a senior wizard and recurring character. * Doctor Strange is a wizard superhero and Sorcerer Supreme in the Marvel Universe. Doctor Fate is the DC Universe equivalent. * Elminster - featured in many of the Forgotten Realms fantasy novels and RPGs. * Elric of Melniboné - often called a sorcerer or a wizard - from Michael Moorcock's ''Elric of Melniboné'' and its sequels. * Fizban is the mortal avatar of the god Paladine from the Dragonlance fantasy novels. * Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast (Middle-earth) - from J. R. R. Tolkien ''The Lord of the Rings'' - are called Wizards (Middle-earth), but are really supernatural entities. In the Middle-earth legendarium, "wizard" is a term applied only to the five members of the Order of the Istari; the term "wizard" could never be applied to a human, and a human magic user is simply called a sorcerer. The other two wizards are Pallando and Alatar the Blue Wizards. * Gareth Yaztromo is a major wizard in the world of Titan (world), which was created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. * J. Wellington Wells ("a dealer in magic and spells") - the eponymous The Sorcerer of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, who also features in two books by Tom Holt. * Michael Scot - protagonist of Michael Scott Rohan's ''The Lord of Middle Air'' - a historical figure and an ancestor of the author! * Mondain was the villainous wizard of the first Ultima game. * Mordenkainen was the greatest wizard in the Greyhawk fantasy series by Wizards of the Coast. * Obi-Wan Kenobi, as a master of the Force (Star Wars), has some wizard-like attributes in George Lucas' Star Wars films: "That wizard's just a crazy old man" said Minor residents of Tatooine#Lars, Owen to Luke Skywalker in ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''. * Ponder Stibbons is the Head of Inadvisably Applied Magic at Unseen University in Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' novels. * Magician (novel) (also known as Milamber) is the wizard protagonist of the fantasy books by Raymond E. Feist. * Mustrum Ridcully - Archancellor of Unseen University throughout most of Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' series. *Ningauble of the Seven Eyes and Sheelba of the Eyeless Face are the sorcerous advisors for Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, in Fritz Leiber Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series. They are (apparently) unhuman, and they aid (in other words, complicate the lives of) the two rogue heroes. * Rincewind - strictly a "Wizzard" (it says so on his hat) and the wizards of Unseen University - from many of Terry Pratchett's ''Discworld'' novels. * The evil entity Randall Flagg from author Stephen King's works occasionally appears as a wizard, notably in the novel ''Eyes of the Dragon''. * Shazam, the ancient Egyptian wizard who gives Captain Marvel (DC Comics) and the Marvel Family their powers. * Sparrowhawk or Ged - from Ursula K. LeGuin's ''A Wizard of Earthsea'' and its sequels. * Tim Hunter, the young wizard in the ''Books of Magic'' comic by Neil Gaiman and others. The eponymous character of L. Frank Baum's ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a stage magician pretending to be a genuine wizard; in the The Wizard of Oz (1939 movie) the wizard was also a fake. However, in later Oz stories, he studies magic with Glinda and becomes a genuine wizard. In some fictional and game settings, ''wizard'' or a similar term is the name for a "race" or species, not just a job description. For example: * The five Wizards (Middle-earth) in ''The Lord of the Rings'' (also mentioned above) * "Black Mages" in the video game series Final Fantasy(some games) * "Demon Sorcerers" in the TV show Jackie Chan Adventures =="Real-Life" Wizards== In history, there have been several real people who are popularly believed, or who claimed to be, wizards, sorcerers, etc. Examples include: * Aleister Crowley is a controversial figure, the most famous "modern wizard," who is believed to have coined the alternate spelling, "magick." * John Dee, whose magical powers were said to come from angels. * John Diamond, and his granddaughter, Molly Pitcher, were supposed to have the ability to foretell the future and help (or doom) sailors at sea. * Gerald Fitzgerald, the Earl of Desmond, was said to be a shapeshifter wizard, whose spirit is said to still haunt the living. * Nicholas Flamel, though he is really more of an alchemist. * Michael Scot may have been fictional, though those who claim his reality say he could do amazing feats by conversing with spirits. Fictional magicians Magic
Wizard
As suggested at talk:wizards as a race I merged that page into this one. However, it's not clear to me that the additional information is encyclopedic ... or even accurate. The Istari are better described as incarnate angels than as a race, and I have no knowledge of the other examples given. Thoughts? User:Zack 03:31, 10 Feb 2004 (UTC) What is paranormal magic? How does it differ from magic? Harry Potter is an example of a wizard in training to use MAGIC. :I suspect that paranormal magic is magic in the mystical sense, whereas regular magic is what's practiced by Penn and Teller. User:Snowspinner 17:20, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) Should this maybe be a disambig page leading to the various types of wizards? User:Snowspinner 17:20, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) How many types of wizards exist inside and outside our imagination? They all do magic limited by psi? A wizard's hat can make a broom come alive. How is this related to the limits of psi? A wizard could change young Arthur into animals? Psi??? Wizards as administrators in MUDS and MUSHES, Wizard as in the Who musical, Wizard as in the bands, Wizard as in a utility in a program to fast-create something... User:Snowspinner 17:55, 20 Apr 2004 (UTC) I think sorcercerers have an evil connotation while wizards, good.--User:Jondel 08:56, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC) I've just removed the following from the main page since it isn't actually true (the five magics in the book are in fact separate disciplines, not a hierachy): "Lyndon Hardy's ''Master of the Five Magics'' suggests ascending ranks of thaumaturgist, alchemy, magician, sorcerer, and wizard." User:Kvetch 15:45, 26 May 2005 (UTC) == ''Star Wars'' image == What's the image of the ''Star Wars'' guy doing here? He's not a wizard or sorceror; he's a Sith! He doesn't even use magic; he uses the Force. _
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
W
WA | WB | WC | WD | WE | WF | WG | WH | WI | WJ | WK | WL | WM | WN | WO | WP | WR | WS | WT | WU | WX | WY | WZ |Words begining with Wizard:
Wizard
Wizard
Wizard's_Chess
Wizard's_chess
Wizard's_Crown
Wizard's_fire
Wizard's_First_Rule
Wizard's_Rule
Wizard's_rules
Wizard's_sleeve
Wizard-of-oz-mgm-title.jpg
Wizard-shazam.jpg
Wizard98
Wizardmon
Wizardofozmovieposter.jpg
WizardOfTheCDrive
WizardOfTheCDrive
Wizardphrog
Wizardry
Wizardry
Wizards
Wizardswand
Wizardswand
Wizards_(Middle-earth)
Wizards_(Movie)
Wizards_(Movie)
Wizards_(movie)
Wizards_(movie)
Wizards_and_Warriors
Wizards_and_Warriors_II:_Ironsword
Wizards_and_Warriors_III
Wizards_as_a_race
Wizards_as_a_race
Wizards_crown
Wizards_of_Dungeons_&_Dragons
Wizards_of_OS
Wizards_of_the_Coast
Wizards_of_the_coast
Wizards_of_the_Coast_headquarters.jpg
Wizards_of_the_Coast_logo.jpg
Wizard_&_Glass
Wizard_(cards)
Wizard_(comics)
Wizard_(computer_game)
Wizard_(disambiguation)
Wizard_(magazine)
Wizard_(Marvel_Comics)
Wizard_(Middle-earth)
Wizard_(of_Oz)
Wizard_(Oz)
Wizard_(Oz)
Wizard_(programming)
Wizard_(software)
Wizard_(software)
Wizard_78.jpg
Wizard_and_Glass
Wizard_Card_Game
Wizard_card_game
Wizard_Cup
Wizard_Entertainment
Wizard_Giller
Wizard_Home_Loans_Cup
Wizard_of_id
Wizard_of_Menlo_Park
Wizard_of_New_Zealand.jpg
Wizard_of_Odds
Wizard_of_Oz
Wizard_of_oz
Wizard_of_Oz/Scarecrow
Wizard_of_Oz_(book)
Wizard_Of_Space_And_Time
Wizard_of_Space_and_Time
Wizard_of_the_Hood
Wizard_of_the_Hood_EP
Wizard_of_Woz
Wizard_of_Yendor
Wizard_People,_Dear_Reader
Wizard_Press
Wizard_title_page.jpg
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