Magi

Meaning

1. (plural, plural-only) Chiefly preceded by the (three): the wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus at the Epiphany (traditionally considered to be three in number and sometimes named Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior, but the Bible does not state how many there were or their names).
2. (broadly, plural, plural-only) The three bright stars (Alnitak (ζ Ori), Alnilam (ε Ori), and Mintaka (δ Ori)) that form Orion's Belt in the Orion constellation.

Synonyms

Three Kings

Wise Men

magus

Three Wise Men

Biblical Magi

Translations

Rois mages

مَجُوس

المجوس الثلاثة

Heilige drei Könige

μάγοι

Μάγος

mage

Mage

mages

rois mages

maghi

Maghi

Magi

Magi

magi

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmeɪd͡ʒaɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mages

Cognate with Avestan: 𐬨𐬊𐬕𐬎

Cognate with Old Persian: 𐎶𐎦𐎢𐏁

In summary

From magi (plural of magus (“magician; (derogatory) conjurer or sorcerer, especially one who is a charlatan or trickster; Zoroastrian priest”)), from Middle English mages, magi or Magi, magy or Magy (“men possessing occult knowledge; astrologers, philosophers, sorcerers”), from Latin magī, from magus (“magician; (derogatory) conjurer or sorcerer, especially one who is a charlatan or trickster; Zoroastrian priest”) + -ī (suffix forming nominative or vocative masculine plurals). Magus is derived from Ancient Greek μάγος (mágos), Μάγος (Mágos, “magician; (derogatory) conjurer, sorcerer; Zoroastrian priest”) (plural μᾰ́γοι (mắgoi), Μᾰ́γοι (Mắgoi)), from Old Iranian (compare Avestan 𐬨𐬊𐬕𐬎 (moġu), Old Median and Old Persian 𐎶𐎦𐎢𐏁 (m-gu-u-š /⁠maγu-⁠/, title of a person?)), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able, have power; power; sorcerer”).