I know that is not a truly possible thing to do, but try it anyway. If you are going to post a long discussion of what magic is and ho it can't be summed up in a sentence, don't. This is mostly just for fun, so just one sentence descriptions please.

"Magic" is the term that people apply to inexplicable phenomenon when neither "divine influence" nor "I don't want to appear stupid" seems appropriate.

Suspension of certitudes

As queer as a clockwork orange.

The demonstration of the impossible.

Magic as we perform it is simply reproducing what everyone "knows" to be impossible. Crumpled dollar bills don't float unaided. "Solid" steel rings do not penetrate on and off each other willy nilly. Four aces and four kings to not transpose in a manner unseen by the observer.

That's it at it's veriest core. You have the "effect" and the "method" to produce the effect. Everything else is frippery to make it "more" palatable than it is unadorned.

That's seven sentences Brad

Magic is the simulation of supernatural effects done by some entity.

The irony being that this is probably the shortest post you have ever made, Ken.

Nope!

Actually, it WAS only one sentence and the rest was exposition. Couldn't help it.

Our magic is the best rubber cut throat razor in the world.

Magic is the art of persuading another that a natural law has just been disobeyed.

As Tolkien might say wherein, the fiction holds as much consistency and continuity as physical reality.

?

Others have and you can too even if you don't believe it at the moment.

Whoops, I must have deleted the explanation.

Making apple pies with cabbage leafs.

A skilled art of mystery and fascination representing the oldest profession in the world.

let's go with second oldest profession

Oops, my bad. I was at a restaurant waiting for my car to cool down. I had to cancel a gig. I was not feeling comfortable at the time. I was not thinking hard enough.

Creating an entertaining experience through illusion.