abracadabra

[ ab-ruh-kuh-dab-ruh ]

/ ˌæb rə kəˈdæb rə /

a mystical word or expression used in incantations, on amulets, etc., as a magical means of warding off misfortune, harm, or illness.

any charm or incantation using nonsensical or supposedly magical words.

meaningless talk; gibberish; nonsense.

Origin of abracadabra

1690–1700; < Late Latin, probably < Late Greek, perhaps reflecting recitation of the initial letters of the alphabet; cf. abecedary

abovementioned, abp, abp., abr, abr., abracadabra, abrachia, abrachiocephalia, abradant, abrade, abraham

Chandelier, swimming pool, patient EKG, Abracadabra, you are free.

Catastrophe in Verse |Eliza Griswold |April 21, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
The first entry is “Abracadabra,” which at one time was an ancient code used by Egyptian priests, and ends with “Zoroastrianism.”

The Craziest Religions |Benyamin Cohen |July 24, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
Wei somehow slips in unnoticed, has a private tête-à-tête with the powers that be, and abracadabra, deal done.

China's Financial Insider |Huang Hung |March 18, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
So he began his abracadabra, but Sunday came and Sunday passed, and no John appeared.

A Book of the West. Volume I Devon |S. Baring-Gould

Not with impunity can even the Adepts gain and keep the secrets of their evil Abracadabra.

Sword and Gown |George A. Lawrence
And mumbling his “abracadabra” over the sand spread on a cloth before him, he took up his bamboo-stick and wrote therein––Khalid!

The Book of Khalid |Ameen Rihani
"Abracadabra is a second intention" is neither true nor false.

A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive |John Stuart Mill
This word comes from the Abracadabra: "demo," lungs; "crazy," to rule; hence, to rule by caloric.

The Roycroft Dictionary |Elbert Hubbard

abracadabra

/ (ˌæbrəkəˈdæbrə) /

a spoken formula, used esp by conjurors

a word used in incantations, etc, considered to possess magic powers

gibberish; nonsense

C17: from Latin: magical word used in certain Gnostic writings, perhaps related to Greek Abraxas; see abraxas