white magic
1
5.1
- noun
- /waɪt ˈmædʒɪk/
:
magia blanca
- There are some 80,000 persons practicing white magic in the United States, with 6,000 in Chicago alone.
Examples
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Beliefs about witchcraft are also commonly divided into two classes by anthropologists: "black" magic, which is used for evil purposes, and "white" magic, which is used for good.
Academic text (2000) -
I used to read cards and practice white magic...
Blog text (12) -
"White magic comes from God."
Fiction book (1993) -
It is your white magic.
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That, and along with other incantations and other white magic, she said that she would one day soon return.
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Her sorcery was a unique mix of black magic that she learned from Belasco and white magic she was taught by an alternative-reality Ororo Munroe.
Blog text (19) -
Another tale featured a man driven to madness when a demonic serpent crawled down his throat into his belly; only a wise priest's white magic could force it to leave.
Academic text (2012) -
Tens of thousands across America—some of them with university degrees—are dabbling in witchcraft, Satanism, voodoo, and other forms of black and white magic.
Blog text (15) -
Many people believe that white magic can help heal emotional wounds and bring about positive changes in life.
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In folklore, white magic is often used to enhance love and protect individuals from harm.
Antonyms
How Benevolent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'magic intended for good' follows directly from combining 'white' (pure/innocent, morally good) with 'magic' (supernatural power), so the sense is compositionally transparent. The white/black contrast for benevolent versus malevolent magic is common across languages, making this easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
White magic may come from old ideas about colors: people used white to mean purity and black to mean harm. So spells called white magic were seen as ways to heal or protect, which is why it means 'magic performed to do good' today.