Magical means having or seeming to have magic in it. A magical creature, a magical evening, magical thinking.
In fantasy it is literal; in ordinary use it means wonderful in a way that feels beyond explanation — a magical evening. Magical thinking is a term in psychology for believing that thoughts or rituals can affect unrelated events, and it is a normal stage in children and a symptom in adults. Note magic, both noun and adjective; and that magic as an adjective is often used where magical would be, with no difference at all.
1adjectivemagicalHaving or seeming to have magic in it.
“The fairy had magical powers and could make flowers grow in winter.”
2adjectivewonderfulWonderful in a way that seems beyond explanation.
“Our honeymoon in Venice was a magical time.”
Too few real examples of this word to estimate which sense is commonest.
magical is a quality of enchantment.
Middle English
magik
English
magic
English, today
magical
Built from
From magic + -al. magic comes from Middle English magik. From Middle English magik,magyk, from Old French magique, from Latin magicus, magica, from Ancient Greek μαγικός (“magical”), from μάγος (“magus”). Ultimately from ira-old -, probably derived from Proto-Indo-European megʰ- (“to be able to, to help; power, sorcerer”). ġealdor (whence galder) and dwimmer.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA