wizard

English

Etymology

From Middle English wysard, wysarde, equivalent to wise +‎ -ard.

The sense of "virgin" is from a Japanese Internet meme where virgins gain magical powers upon reaching 30 years of age.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) enPR: wĭzʹəd, IPA(key): /ˈwɪz.əd/
  • (US) enPR: wĭzʹərd, IPA(key): /wɪz.ɚd/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪzə(ɹ)d
  • Hyphenation: wi‧zard

Noun

wizard (plural wizards)

A wizard
  1. Someone, usually male, who uses (or has skill with) magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices.
    • 1697, John Dryden, Translation of Virgil's Georgics:
      The wily wizard must be caught.
    You're a wizard, Harry
    Synonyms: conjurer, mage, magician, magic user, mystic, sorcerer, warlock, witch
  2. One who is especially skilled or unusually talented in a particular field.
    He was a financial wizard, capable of predicting the movements of the stock markets.
    Synonyms: expert, genius, prodigy
  3. (computing) A computer program or script used to simplify complex operations, often for an inexperienced user.
    Use the "Add Network Connection" wizard to connect to a network in a series of simple steps.
    Synonym: assistant
  4. (Internet) One of the administrators of a multi-user dungeon.
    • 1997, Reinventing Technology, Rediscovering Community: Critical Explorations of Computing as a Social Practice, page 153:
      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 […]
    • 1997, Sara Kiesler, editor, Culture of the Internet, page 132:
      It is certainly easy to believe the stories I hear of MUD wizards who demand deference and severely punish those who transgress […]
  5. (obsolete) A wise man; a sage.
  6. (Internet slang) A virgin over the age of 30.
    • 2014 September 23, Joe Zadeh, quoting Jon Rafman, “"Musician rebels embrace darknet to explore uncensored internet frontiers”, in Guardian:
      “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.”
    • 2018 April 25, Zoe Williams, “‘Raw hatred’: why the 'incel' movement targets and terrorises women”, in The Guardian‎:
      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).
    • 2018 April 25, Oli Dugmore, “What is an incel? A former member of the internet subculture explains”, in JOE‎:
      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."

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Adjective

wizard (not comparable)

  1. (slang, dated, Britain) Fine, superb (originally RAF slang).
    • 1942, Quentin James Reynolds, Only the Stars are Neutral:
      "We had a wizard show," the young leader of an Australian squadron said, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
    • 1943, Malta Story:
      But he was a wizard flyer, that boy.

Verb

wizard (third-person singular simple present wizards, present participle wizarding, simple past and past participle wizarded)

  1. (intransitive) To practice wizardry.
  2. (transitive) To conjure.
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