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incantation

 [in-kan-tey-shuhn]   Origin

in·can·ta·tion

   [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.
5.
repetitious wordiness used to conceal a lack of content; obfuscation: Her prose too often resorts to incantation.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin incantātiōn- (stem of incantātiō), equivalent to incantāt(us) past participle of incantāre to put a spell on, bewitch (see enchant, -ate1) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms
in·can·ta·tion·al, in·can·ta·to·ry  [in-kan-tuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective
in·can·ta·tor, noun

Synonyms
4. witchcraft, black magic, wizardry.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Incantation is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
incantation (ˌɪnkænˈteɪʃən)
 
—n
1.  ritual recitation of magic words or sounds
2.  the formulaic words or sounds used; a magic spell
 
[C14: from Late Latin incantātiō an enchanting, from incantāre to repeat magic formulas, from Latin, from in-² + cantāre to sing; see enchant]
 
incan'tational
 
—adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

incantation
late 14c., from O.Fr. incantation (13c.), from L. incantationem (nom. incantatio) "art of enchanting," from incantus, pp. of incantare "bewitch, charm," lit. "sing spells" (see enchantment).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

incantation definition


Any particularly arbitrary or obscure command that one must mutter at a system to attain a desired result. Not used of passwords or other explicit security features. Especially used of tricks that are so poorly documented that they must be learned from a wizard. "This compiler normally locates initialised data in the data segment, but if you mutter the right incantation they will be forced into text space."

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

incantation

words uttered in a set formula with magical intent. The correct recitation, often with accompanying gestures, is considered to unleash supernatural power. Some societies believe that incorrect recitation can not only nullify the magic but cause the death of the practitioner.

Learn more about incantation with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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