sympathetic magic


noun

magic predicated on the belief that one thing or event can affect another at a distance as a consequence of a sympathetic connection between them.

Origin of sympathetic magic

First recorded in 1900–05

British Dictionary definitions for sympathetic magic

sympathetic magic

noun

a type of magic in which it is sought to produce a large-scale effect, often at a distance, by performing some small-scale ceremony resembling it, such as the pouring of water on an altar to induce rainfall