# Why is Wiccan magic spelled "magick?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 1999, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167 "1999-09-12T06:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/1 "1999-09-12T06:51:00Z")
So? Why is there a “K?” * * * “Life is hard…but God is good” ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/2 "1999-09-12T06:55:00Z")
Some people just love to be different! Its not like the rest of the religion makes sense. They start following a religion less than a century old and start talking like its a persecuted sect from the begining of time. Some people just can’t be explained. I suppose this isn’t the kind of answer you were looking for, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/3 "1999-09-12T06:59:00Z")
I hear its to make it different from that silly magic magicians use to wow audiences and to make the Statue of Liberty disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/4 "1999-09-12T07:37:00Z")
Theirs is less silly? Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/5 "1999-09-12T09:09:00Z")
The alternate spelling is used when speaking of _magick_, which are practices which we believe to have real power. This is contrasted to _magic_ (no K), which is a set of tricks performed for entertainment, by people such as David Copperfield. IME, the majority of pagans consider this distinction to be important for clarity. But many others use only the “normal” spelling of the word, and rely on context to show what the meaning is. I tend to lean toward the former view, but I’m not offended or confused when someone leaves off the K. * * * Of course I don’t fit in; I’m part of a better puzzle. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/6 "1999-09-12T13:03:00Z")
Cute spellings always engender credibility, don’t they? God bless Amerika! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/7 "1999-09-12T15:32:00Z")
Kitsch. With a ‘K’ That, plus illiteracy. * * * We have met the enemy, and He is Us.–Walt Kelly ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/8 "1999-09-12T19:46:00Z")
Well, when converted to a verb and using it’s present participle form, there _should_ be a _k_. Oh, for those who are not grammar mavens, I’m referring to _magicking_ as in: _I love to go picnicking and magicking with Starhawk and Lady Principia!_ ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/9 "1999-09-12T19:48:00Z")
_\_ I hate it when I’m being a grammar maven and I mix up _its_ with _it’s_. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/10 "1999-09-12T20:29:00Z")
The spelling was started by Aliester Crowley to differentiate what he thought he was doing from regular stage magic. * * * Saint Eutychus [www.disneyshorts.org](http://www.disneyshorts.org) ---
**Author:** ![vanillanice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ecc23a/32.png) [@vanillanice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanillanice)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 1999, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-wiccan-magic-spelled-magick/3167/11 "1999-09-12T21:10:00Z")
Because witches use(so I’ve heard)Special K cereal in their spells.