Abracadabra Definition
ăbrə-kə-dăbrə
noun
A magical charm or incantation having the power to ward off disease or disaster.
American Heritage
A word supposed to have magic powers, and hence used in incantations, on amulets, etc.
Webster's New World
Foolish or unintelligible talk.
American Heritage
A magic spell or formula.
Webster's New World
Foolish or meaningless talk; gibberish.
Webster's New World
interjection
Used, as by a magician, to signify, or seemingly command, a sudden change or occurrence.
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Abracadabra
Noun
Singular:
abracadabra
Plural:
abracadabrasOrigin of Abracadabra
-
From Late Latin abracadabra, a word used in magical writings, of uncertain origin. Relationships have been suggested with Abraxas (a Gnostic deity), and with various Aramaic or Hebrew terms (עַבְדָא כְּדַ ברָא, avda ked vara; “what was said has been done”; עבראכדברא, avra kedavra; “what has said has come to pass”; ארבע-אחד-ארבע when it is read from right to left ), but there is little supporting evidence.
From Wiktionary
Late Latin magical formula of unknown origin
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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