abracadabra

== English == === Alternative forms === abra-cadabra === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Late Latin abracadabra. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌæbɹəkəˈdæbɹə/ Rhymes: -æbɹə Hyphenation: ab‧ra‧ca‧dab‧ra === Noun === abracadabra (plural abracadabras) A use of the mystical term ‘abracadabra’, supposed to work as part of a healing charm or a magical spell; any spell or incantation making use of the word. [from 16th c.] Mumbo jumbo; obscure language or technicalities; jargon. [from 19th c.] ==== Translations ==== === Interjection === abracadabra Used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed. [from 19th c.] Synonym: hey presto ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === See also === Avada Kedavra === References === === Further reading === “abracadabra”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.bʁa.ka.da.bʁa/ === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra ==== Derived terms ==== abracadabrant === Noun === abracadabra m (plural abracadabras) an unspecified magical formula (historical) a mystical word from kabbalism === Further reading === “abracadabra”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Italian == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin abracadabra. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.bra.kaˈda.bra/ Rhymes: -abra Hyphenation: a‧bra‧ca‧dà‧bra === Noun === abracadabra m (invariable) abracadabra (mumbo-jumbo) === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra === Further reading === abracadabra in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana == Latin == === Etymology === Unknown. Relationships have been suggested with Abraxas (a Gnostic deity), and with various Aramaic or Hebrew terms עַבְרָא כְּדַבְרָא (avra kedavra, literally “what was said has come to pass”), עַבְדָא כְּדַבְרָא (avda kedavra, literally “what was said has been done”); אַרְבַּע־אֶחַד־אַרְבַּע (arba-eḥad-arba, literally “four-one-four”), but there is little supporting evidence. === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ab.raˈka.da.bra] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ab.raˈkaː.da.bra] === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra === References === "abracadabra", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887) == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -abɾɐ Hyphenation: a‧bra‧ca‧da‧bra === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra (used to indicate that a magic trick or other illusion has been performed) === Further reading === “abracadabra”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “abracadabra”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French abracadabra or Italian abracadabra. === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /abɾakaˈdabɾa/ [a.β̞ɾa.kaˈð̞a.β̞ɾa] Rhymes: -abɾa Syllabification: a‧bra‧ca‧da‧bra === Interjection === abracadabra abracadabra ==== Usage notes ==== The Royal Spanish Academy treats this word as a masculine noun. For the gender, compare other words of Greek origin that end in -a, such as diploma or idioma. === Further reading === “abracadabra”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025