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View synonyms for incantation

incantation

[ in-kan-tey-shuhn ]

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.



incantation

/ ˌɪnkænˈteɪʃən /

noun

  1. ritual recitation of magic words or sounds
  2. the formulaic words or sounds used; a magic spell
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˌincanˈtational, adjective
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Other Words From

  • incan·tation·al in·can·ta·to·ry [in-, kan, -t, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
  • incan·tator noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of incantation1

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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of incantation1

C14: from Late Latin incantātiō an enchanting, from incantāre to repeat magic formulas, from Latin, from in- ² + cantāre to sing; see enchant
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Example Sentences

Fortunately for those of us who resided outside SoCal, Scully also worked for national networks, allowing his economical narratives and poetic incantations to resonate far beyond Los Angeles.

From Time

Almost like an incantation of protection, a practice of softness.

From Time

She sounds like Holiday, but what she’s offering is less an act of mimicry than an intimate incantation, a spell of protectiveness.

From Time

It is hard to make out exactly what she is saying, but her words act almost like an incantation.

There a familiar sound met his ears—the roll of a drum followed by an incantation in a quavering, high-pitched voice.

They met by the parapet of the Quai, just as Père Bracasse had come to the end of his incantation.

Whenever they passed an embedded fakir, they obtained an incantation from his lips, but still Baal-Zeboub failed.

And now he began to speak, not loudly, but with solemn deliberation, as though he were uttering an incantation.

I have extensive knowledge of incantation, poetry, magic, and I know these concern your problem.

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