Word
abracadabra
Phoneticsabra·cadabra
US/ˌæbɹəkəˈdæbɹə/
UK/ˌæbɹəkədˈæbɹɐ/
Definition
n. a word used in magic to show that a trick is happening. It is also a name for a special type of medicine.
n. a magical incantation used to signal the performance of a trick; also the name of a historical medicinal powder containing mercury. Often used as a placeholder for a secret or mysterious phrase.
Examples
“The magician said 'abracadabra' and the rabbit appeared.”
“The children were fascinated when the magician shouted 'abracadabra' and made the coins disappear.”
“While modern audiences associate 'abracadabra' with stage magic, it originally served as a protective charm in ancient alchemical texts to ward off the effects of poison.”
Examples
simple
“The magician said 'abracadabra' and the rabbit appeared.”
contextual
“The children were fascinated when the magician shouted 'abracadabra' and made the coins disappear.”
complex
“While modern audiences associate 'abracadabra' with stage magic, it originally served as a protective charm in ancient alchemical texts to ward off the effects of poison.”
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin abracadabra.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/abracadabra