automagical

Blend of automatic +‎ magical

• (US)? IPA^(key): /ˈɑtoʊˈmæd͡ʒɪkəl/
• Hyphenation: au‧to‧mag‧ic‧al

automagical (comparative more automagical, superlative most automagical)

1. (computing, technology, informal) Automatic, but with an apparent element of magic. Commonly referring to complex technical processes hidden from the view of users or operators, resulting in technology that "just works".
   • 1987, Lawrence J. Peters, Advanced Structured Analysis and Design‎, Prentice-Hall, →ISBN, page 2:

     Throughout this text we will emphasize the employment of a systems approach to the practice of analysis and design. In it we attempt to present this portion of the software lifecycle as a discipline rather than an "automagical" (automated magic) process.

   • 1993, Colin Harrison, Bodies Electric: A Novel‎, Crown Publishers, →ISBN, page 186:

     "How're we paying you, actually?" I asked.
     "Certain automagical manipulations."

   • 1994, Daniel P. Dern, The Internet Guide for New Users‎, McGraw-Hill, →ISBN, page 490:

     It is hoped that, over time, new e-mail list management tools will become available for users which can "automagically" determine who and how to do these…

   • 1995, István Raskó, C. Stephen Downes, Genes in Medicine: Molecular Biology and Human Genetic Disorders‎, Springer, →ISBN, page 277:

     In the more florid cases, where the diagnosis is unmistakeable, several anatomical studies (especially with automagical computerized devices, such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) have shown clear though subtle differences in the brains of schizophrenic patients…

   • 2006, Stefan Axelsson, David Sands, Understanding Intrusion Detection Through Visualization‎, Springer, →ISBN, page 6:

     These result [sic] indicate that the more complex the system, and the less the human feels aware of how the system is operating (i.e. to what degree it seems ‘automagical’) the less effective the operator becomes in correctly identifying problematic situations and taking the necessary corrective action.

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:automagical.

• automagically

• automagic