29:
79:
172:
875:
786:
by
Aleister Crowley. The occultist often used the word "abrahadabra" in his 1904 Liber Al Vel Legis ("Book of the Law,") saying it was the name of a new age of humanity; and he claimed to have derived it from the numerology system known as Hermetic Qabalah, which induced him to swap out the C of abracadabra for an H.
785:
But the word seems to have lost its usefulness as a remedy, and in the early 1800s it appeared in a stage play written by
William Thomas Moncrieff, as an example of a word magicians would utter. Its only notable reference in the 20th century may be in the Thelema religion founded in the early 1900s
560:
Medieval historian Don Skemer, a specialist in magic and former curator of manuscripts at
Princeton University, suggests abracadabra could derive from the Hebrew phrase "ha brachah dabarah," which means "name of the blessed" and was regarded as a magical
158:
The
Aramaic linguist Steve Caruso argues that Abracadabra can neither be Aramaic nor Hebrew, and suggests that the popularisation of the mistaken etymology is a result of an extended discussion on an early internet message board, which credits rabbi
829:
28:
262:('The Tree of Knowledge'), described as a collection of magical spells, contains the word for an amulet. It was described as a "cure from heavens" for "all sorts of fever", consumption, and fire.
152:
or to its similarity to the first four letters of the Greek alphabet (alpha-beta-gamma-delta or ΑΒΓΔ). However, "no documentation has been found to support any of the various conjectures".
966:
883:
919:
681:
155:
The historian Don Skemer suggests that it might originate from the Hebrew phrase “ha brachah dabarah” 'name of the blessed', said to be a magical phrase.
929:
898:
405:
97:
838:
959:
830:
An encyclopedia of claims, frauds, and hoaxes of the occult and supernatural: decidedly sceptical definitions of alternative realities
96:
527:
469:
432:
1545:
1535:
1258:
952:
798:
768:
722:
543:
442:
654:
459:
1357:
20:
1540:
741:
A 16th century Jewish manuscript from Italy records a version of the abracadabra spell for an amulet to prevent fever
1178:
903:
888:
177:
934:
385:
273:
also wrote dismissively about
Londoners who posted the word on their doorways to ward off sickness during the
1352:
1292:
867:
413:
390:
88:
697:
627:
230:, were followers of the medical teachings of Serenus Sammonicus and may have used the incantation as well.
274:
1307:
417:
1530:
1525:
1153:
222:
The power of the amulet, he claimed, makes lethal diseases go away. Other Roman emperors, including
862:
753:
727:
171:
1474:
606:
197:
128:
1031:
834:
574:
523:
465:
438:
227:
1520:
1484:
1449:
1302:
1238:
1203:
301:
293:
160:
53:
913:
675:
1418:
1143:
658:
266:
234:
135:
245:
in invoking the aid of beneficent spirits against disease and misfortune. It is found on
1268:
1198:
1093:
1088:
1046:
1007:
344:
289:
223:
249:
stones, which were worn as amulets. Subsequently, its use spread beyond the
Gnostics.
1514:
1494:
1469:
1408:
1312:
1158:
670:
332:
205:
589:
1454:
1392:
1387:
1327:
1248:
1218:
1113:
1098:
1061:
1012:
362:
337:
270:
1138:
304:
methods. The word 'Abrahadabra' also appears repeatedly in the 1904 invocation of
184:
The first known mention of the word was in the second century AD in a book called
610:
315:
In the early 1800s the word was used as an example of what magicians would say.
95:
1428:
1377:
1372:
1362:
1332:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1193:
1183:
824:
356:
350:
285:
242:
64:
56:
1479:
1433:
1382:
1367:
1287:
1253:
1148:
1083:
1071:
1051:
1019:
874:
651:
320:
238:
116:
49:
1489:
1464:
1413:
1213:
1188:
1168:
1163:
1123:
1077:
208:
201:
1337:
1108:
1026:
857:
1459:
1423:
1243:
1128:
1118:
1066:
979:
148:), to etymologies that point to similar words in Latin and Greek such as
33:
944:
127:
is of unknown origin, and is first attested in a second-century work of
1347:
1280:
1263:
359: – Magical phrase in the story of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"
281:
246:
212:
149:
139:
60:
1342:
1317:
1297:
1056:
1000:
975:
104:
143:
1499:
1322:
1273:
1173:
1103:
1040:
1036:
912:
674:
305:
253:
170:
27:
319:
is now more commonly used in the performance of stage magic as a
19:
This article is about an incantational word. For other uses, see
1208:
1133:
520:
A Place for
Everything:The Curious History of Alphabetical Order
496:
434:
The Book of Words: Talking
Spiritual Life, Living Spiritual Talk
948:
698:"The Tree of Knowledge: magic spells from a Jewish potion book"
36:
from the 6th or 7th century, inscribed with words similar to
77:
175:
Abracadabra written in a triangular form as represented in
406:"Magic words: performative utterance in fact and fantasy"
612:
Quinti Sereni
Samonici De medicina praecepta salvberrima
288:', and considers it the magical formula of the current
799:"The ancient—and mysterious—history of 'abracadabra'"
769:"The ancient—and mysterious—history of 'abracadabra'"
723:"The ancient—and mysterious—history of 'abracadabra'"
544:"The ancient—and mysterious—history of 'abracadabra'"
1442:
1401:
986:
300:that he discovered the word (and his spelling) by
134:Some conjectural etymologies are: from phrases in
923:. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 69.
588:The Straight Dope Message Board (1 March 1999).
1017:
702:British Library Asian and African studies blog
461:This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared
347: – Meaningless word used in magic rituals
1278:
998:
960:
8:
685:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
615:. In bibliopolio I.G. Mülleriano. p. 4.
257:
490:
488:
365: – Word square with a Latin palindrome
191:
185:
967:
953:
945:
601:
599:
138:that mean "I will create as I speak", or
437:. Jewish Lights Publishing. p. 11.
375:
269:dismissed the word as bereft of power.
833:. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.
114:
308:that led to the founding of Thelema (
7:
215:sufferers wear an amulet containing
211:, who in chapter 52 prescribed that
163:with publishing a modern etymology.
144:
892:. Vol. 1 (9th ed.). 1878.
296:(1875–1947), explains in his essay
219:written in the form of a triangle.
404:Elyse Graham (December 30, 2016),
16:Magic word used by stage magicians
14:
573:Caruso, Steve (29 January 2014).
252:A Jewish codex from 16th century
193:De Medicina Praecepta Saluberrima
873:
498:Oxford English Dictionary Online
115:Problems playing this file? See
93:
696:Buda, Zsófi (August 19, 2020).
628:"The Tenacious Buzz of Malaria"
323:at the culmination of a trick.
1018:
1:
464:. Little, Brown and Company.
755:A Journal of the Plague Year
626:Shah, Sonia (10 July 2010).
575:"Abracadabra is NOT Aramaic"
522:. Basic Books. p. xxv.
21:Abracadabra (disambiguation)
758:. London, Dent, 1911 (1722)
607:Sammonicus, Quintus Serenus
67:. It is of unknown origin.
1562:
935:Collier's New Encyclopedia
657:November 22, 2008, at the
431:Kushner, Lawrence (1998).
292:. The religion's founder,
142:"I create like the word" (
52:, historically used as an
18:
1279:
999:
518:Flanders, Judith (2020).
458:Lew, Alan (August 2003).
386:Oxford English Dictionary
1546:Culture of ancient Rome
1536:Superstitions of Europe
1293:Pictish painted pebbles
920:Encyclopædia Britannica
904:The American Cyclopædia
889:Encyclopædia Britannica
682:Encyclopædia Britannica
414:Oxford University Press
391:Oxford University Press
178:Encyclopædia Britannica
107:pronouncing Abracadabra
275:Great Plague of London
258:
192:
186:
181:
82:
40:
878:Texts on Wikisource:
265:The Puritan minister
174:
81:
31:
868:Skeptic's Dictionary
420:on February 26, 2017
353: – Magic phrase
284:speaks of the word '
190:(sometimes known as
63:and common today in
914:"Abracadabra"
863:Robert Todd Carroll
803:NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
773:NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
728:National Geographic
676:"Abracadabra"
632:Wall Street Journal
548:NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
410:Oxford Dictionaries
1541:Macaronic language
1475:Magic and religion
312:I, no. 7. 1912).
198:Serenus Sammonicus
182:
129:Serenus Sammonicus
83:
41:
1508:
1507:
840:978-0-312-15119-5
335:— Spell from the
243:sect of Basilides
233:It was used as a
228:Severus Alexander
187:Liber Medicinalis
98:
1553:
1490:Religious fetish
1485:Numismatic charm
1450:Apotropaic magic
1443:Related articles
1284:
1283:
1239:Lapis alectorius
1023:
1022:
1004:
1003:
969:
962:
955:
946:
939:
924:
916:
908:
893:
877:
845:
844:
821:
815:
814:
812:
810:
795:
789:
788:
782:
780:
765:
759:
750:
744:
743:
738:
736:
719:
713:
712:
710:
708:
693:
687:
686:
678:
667:
661:
649:
643:
642:
640:
638:
623:
617:
616:
603:
594:
593:
585:
579:
578:
570:
564:
563:
557:
555:
540:
534:
533:
515:
509:
508:
507:
505:
492:
483:
482:
480:
478:
455:
449:
448:
428:
422:
421:
416:, archived from
401:
395:
394:
380:
294:Aleister Crowley
280:The religion of
261:
195:
189:
161:Lawrence Kushner
147:
146:
100:
99:
80:
1561:
1560:
1556:
1555:
1554:
1552:
1551:
1550:
1511:
1510:
1509:
1504:
1438:
1419:Seal of Solomon
1397:
1144:Good luck charm
982:
973:
927:
911:
896:
881:
854:
849:
848:
841:
823:
822:
818:
808:
806:
805:. March 1, 2024
797:
796:
792:
778:
776:
775:. March 1, 2024
767:
766:
762:
751:
747:
734:
732:
731:. March 1, 2024
721:
720:
716:
706:
704:
695:
694:
690:
669:
668:
664:
659:Wayback Machine
650:
646:
636:
634:
625:
624:
620:
605:
604:
597:
587:
586:
582:
572:
571:
567:
553:
551:
550:. March 1, 2024
542:
541:
537:
530:
517:
516:
512:
503:
501:
495:"abracadabra",
494:
493:
486:
476:
474:
472:
457:
456:
452:
445:
430:
429:
425:
403:
402:
398:
383:"abracadabra",
382:
381:
377:
372:
329:
267:Increase Mather
235:magical formula
169:
122:
121:
113:
111:
110:
109:
108:
103:Male native of
101:
94:
91:
84:
78:
73:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1559:
1557:
1549:
1548:
1543:
1538:
1533:
1528:
1523:
1513:
1512:
1506:
1505:
1503:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1446:
1444:
1440:
1439:
1437:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1405:
1403:
1399:
1398:
1396:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1179:Hercules' Club
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1094:Cross necklace
1091:
1089:Corn husk doll
1086:
1081:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1034:
1032:Brigid's cross
1029:
1024:
1015:
1010:
1008:Amulet MS 5236
1005:
996:
990:
988:
984:
983:
974:
972:
971:
964:
957:
949:
943:
942:
941:
940:
925:
909:
894:
871:
853:
852:External links
850:
847:
846:
839:
816:
790:
760:
752:Daniel Defoe.
745:
714:
688:
673:, ed. (1911).
671:Chisholm, Hugh
662:
644:
618:
595:
580:
565:
535:
528:
510:
484:
470:
450:
443:
423:
396:
374:
373:
371:
368:
367:
366:
360:
354:
348:
345:Barbarous name
342:
328:
325:
168:
165:
112:
102:
92:
87:
86:
85:
76:
75:
74:
72:
69:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1558:
1547:
1544:
1542:
1539:
1537:
1534:
1532:
1529:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1518:
1516:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1495:Superstitions
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1470:Folk religion
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1447:
1445:
1441:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1406:
1404:
1400:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1358:Tintinnabulum
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1303:Rabbit's foot
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1282:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1217:
1215:
1212:
1210:
1207:
1205:
1204:Jackal's horn
1202:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1159:Hanging craft
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1042:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1021:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1002:
997:
995:
992:
991:
989:
985:
981:
977:
970:
965:
963:
958:
956:
951:
950:
947:
937:
936:
931:
926:
922:
921:
915:
910:
906:
905:
900:
895:
891:
890:
885:
880:
879:
876:
872:
870:
869:
864:
861:
860:
856:
855:
851:
842:
836:
832:
831:
826:
820:
817:
804:
800:
794:
791:
787:
774:
770:
764:
761:
757:
756:
749:
746:
742:
730:
729:
724:
718:
715:
703:
699:
692:
689:
684:
683:
677:
672:
666:
663:
660:
656:
653:
648:
645:
633:
629:
622:
619:
614:
613:
608:
602:
600:
596:
591:
590:"Abracadabra"
584:
581:
576:
569:
566:
562:
549:
545:
539:
536:
531:
529:9781541675070
525:
521:
514:
511:
500:
499:
491:
489:
485:
473:
471:9780759528215
467:
463:
462:
454:
451:
446:
440:
436:
435:
427:
424:
419:
415:
411:
407:
400:
397:
392:
388:
387:
379:
376:
369:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
339:
334:
333:Avada kedavra
331:
330:
326:
324:
322:
318:
313:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
278:
276:
272:
268:
263:
260:
255:
250:
248:
244:
240:
236:
231:
229:
225:
220:
218:
214:
210:
207:
206:Roman emperor
203:
199:
194:
188:
180:
179:
173:
166:
164:
162:
156:
153:
151:
141:
137:
132:
130:
126:
120:
118:
106:
90:
89:Pronunciation
70:
68:
66:
62:
58:
55:
51:
47:
46:
39:
35:
30:
26:
22:
1455:Curse tablet
1393:Yantra cloth
1388:Witch bottle
1353:Thunderstone
1328:Sator Square
1249:Medicine bag
1219:Kagome crest
1114:Dreamcatcher
1099:Dacian Draco
1076:
1062:Celtic cross
1013:Axe of Perun
993:
933:
918:
902:
887:
866:
858:
828:
825:Randi, James
819:
807:. Retrieved
802:
793:
784:
777:. Retrieved
772:
763:
754:
748:
740:
733:. Retrieved
726:
717:
705:. Retrieved
701:
691:
680:
665:
647:
635:. Retrieved
631:
621:
611:
583:
568:
559:
552:. Retrieved
547:
538:
519:
513:
504:September 1,
502:, retrieved
497:
475:. Retrieved
460:
453:
433:
426:
418:the original
409:
399:
384:
378:
363:Sator Square
338:Harry Potter
336:
316:
314:
309:
297:
279:
271:Daniel Defoe
264:
259:Ets ha-Da’at
256:entitled as
251:
232:
221:
216:
183:
176:
157:
154:
133:
124:
123:
44:
43:
42:
37:
25:
1531:Incantation
1526:Magic words
1429:Uncial 0152
1378:Voodoo doll
1373:Troll cross
1363:Touch piece
1234:Koan kroach
1229:Kanai Anzen
1224:Kagura suzu
1199:I'noGo tied
1184:Horse brass
994:Abracadabra
930:Abracadabra
899:Abracadabra
884:Abracadabra
859:Abracadabra
357:Open sesame
351:Hocus-pocus
317:Abracadabra
310:The Equinox
286:Abrahadabra
217:Abracadabra
125:Abracadabra
65:stage magic
57:incantation
45:Abracadabra
38:abracadabra
1515:Categories
1480:Numerology
1434:Wolfsangel
1383:Witch ball
1368:Triskelion
1308:Red string
1288:Palad khik
1149:Gorgoneion
1084:Corn dolly
1072:Cornicello
1052:Bullroarer
1020:Azusa Yumi
444:1580230202
370:References
321:magic word
302:qabalistic
145:אברא כדברא
117:media help
54:apotropaic
50:magic word
1465:Feng shui
1414:Navaratna
1402:Talismans
1214:Kabura-ya
1194:Hoko doll
1189:Horseshoe
1169:Hama yumi
1154:Gris-gris
1139:God's eye
1124:Elf-arrow
1078:Crepundia
980:talismans
209:Caracalla
202:physician
71:Etymology
32:A silver
1460:Evil eye
1424:Swastika
1244:Mandrake
1129:Fascinus
1119:Dzi bead
1067:Cimaruta
827:(1995).
809:March 2,
779:March 2,
735:March 2,
707:March 2,
655:Archived
652:Bartleby
609:(1786).
554:March 2,
477:16 March
327:See also
298:Gematria
239:Gnostics
34:talisman
1521:Amulets
1348:Thokcha
1281:Omamori
1264:Mugwort
1254:Mjölnir
1164:Hama ya
987:Amulets
976:Amulets
938:. 1921.
907:. 1879.
637:17 June
282:Thelema
247:Abraxas
241:of the
237:by the
213:malaria
204:to the
167:History
150:abraxas
140:Aramaic
61:amulets
1343:Takrut
1338:Ta'wiz
1318:Sachet
1298:Poppet
1109:Dōtaku
1057:Carnyx
1027:Bonshō
1001:Agimat
837:
526:
468:
441:
393:, 2009
341:series
136:Hebrew
105:Poland
1500:Torma
1409:Lamen
1323:Sampy
1274:Ofuda
1269:Nazar
1174:Hamsa
1104:Djucu
1047:Bulla
1041:Besom
1037:Broom
561:name.
306:Horus
254:Italy
196:) by
48:is a
1333:Suzu
1259:Mojo
1209:Juju
1134:Fulu
978:and
835:ISBN
811:2024
781:2024
737:2024
709:2024
639:2018
556:2024
524:ISBN
506:2017
479:2015
466:ISBN
439:ISBN
290:Aeon
226:and
224:Geta
1313:Rin
932:".
901:".
886:".
59:on
1517::
917:.
865:,
801:.
783:.
771:.
739:.
725:.
700:.
679:.
630:.
598:^
558:.
546:.
487:^
412:,
408:,
389:,
277:.
200:,
131:.
1043:)
1039:(
968:e
961:t
954:v
928:"
897:"
882:"
843:.
813:.
711:.
641:.
592:.
577:.
532:.
481:.
447:.
119:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
