incantation

American  

[in-kan-tey-shuhn] / ˌɪn kænˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the chanting or uttering of words purporting to have magical power.

2. the formula employed; a spell or charm.

3. magical ceremonies.

4. magic; sorcery.

   Synonyms:

   wizardry, black magic, witchcraft

5. repetitious wordiness used to conceal a lack of content; obfuscation.

   Her prose too often resorts to incantation.

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incantation British  

/ ˌɪnkænˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. ritual recitation of magic words or sounds

2. the formulaic words or sounds used; a magic spell

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Other Word Forms

• incantational adjective
• incantator noun
• incantatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of incantation

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin incantātiōn- (stem of incantātiō ), equivalent to incantāt ( us ) past participle of incantāre to put a spell on, bewitch ( enchant, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

"Double, double toil and trouble / Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." These lines, cackled by the Weird Sisters in Shakespeare's Macbeth, are part of the most famous incantation — or magic spell made of words — in English literature. Incantation shares a Latin source with enchant, both of which are related to chant. An incantation, then, summons a thing or action into being with words that are sung, spoken, or written. Long before it became the catchword of stage magicians, abracadabra was regarded as a powerful incantation capable of warding off serious disease. The phrase hocus pocus may be a corruption of a 17th-century incantation spoken during the Roman Catholic liturgy of the Eucharist, "hoc est corpus meum" ("this is my body").

Example Sentences

To boost the placement of these companies’ products in AI results, Bailyn’s company plants a sort of magic incantation, known as a “brand authority statement,” on at least 10 websites.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

To establish the right note of terror on a fog-strewn set by Arnulfo Maldonado that resembles the private chamber of a writer or madman, Page begins with Lady Macbeth’s chilling incantation.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2026

Now, it sounds more like a utopian incantation: read it aloud three times on a hill under moonlight and perhaps it will come true.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2025

Nuns dangling rosary beads, tourists and student priests were among those who joined the gentle incantation of the rosary in the Vatican.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2025

Ron, who was supposed to be jinxing Harry, was purple in the face, his lips tightly compressed to save himself from the temptation of muttering the incantation.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• enchantment
• hymn