Incantation
noun /ˌɪnkænˈteɪʃən/ — A series of words spoken as a magical spell or charm.
Definition
A formula of words used as a magical spell or ritual — spoken, chanted, or sung with the intention of producing a magical effect. By extension: any language that seems to create or change reality through its utterance.
Beyond the definition
Language began as incantation — an attempt to make the world obey by speaking to it correctly. We never entirely lost this. Legal oaths, marriage vows, the opening lines of great speeches: all retain the sense that the right words, spoken in the right order, can alter the world.
Origin & history
Medieval Latin 'incantatio' — from 'incantare' (to chant a spell over), from 'in-' (upon) + 'cantare' (to sing). To enchant is to place someone under a song. Incantation and enchantment share the same etymology.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She read the contract clause three times — it had the quality of incantation.
Poetry at its best is incantation — the right words, in the right order, do something.
The children repeated the school rules in a singsong voice that made them sound like incantation.
Synonyms
spell, charm, chant, invocation
Antonyms
plain speech
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Orator gesturing on a dark stage
An orator stands on a stage with outstretched arms, illuminated by sharp lighting against a vast, dark space.
The speaker’s assertive, commanding gestures suggest an incantation intended to move or change the audience. It illustrates how the power of spoken language, when delivered with absolute conviction, can feel as though it is actively creating a new reality in the space.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration