Other forms: incantations
An incantation is words chanted to summon magical power. Mutter an incantation, a long incantation, the incantation failed.
It is the spoken part of a spell, and the point is that the exact words and rhythm matter — an incantation half remembered is no incantation at all. Figuratively it describes empty repeated phrases: political incantations, the incantation of the same slogans. Note incantatory; enchant and chant, which are the same root; and that charm, from Latin carmen, a song, arrived at magic by the same road.
1nounincantationWords chanted to summon magical power.
“The witch stirred the pot and muttered a strange incantation.”
2nounemptyAn empty repeated phrase.
“'Lessons will be learned' is the incantation politicians repeat after every disaster.”
incantation is a chanted formula.
Latin incantatio comes from incantare, to sing over — in plus cantare, to sing. Enchant, chant and cant are the same singing, and so is the French charm.
Proto-Indo-European
*keh₂n-
Latin
incantatio
Old French
incantation
Middle English
incantacioun
English, today
incantation
From Middle English incantacioun, from Old French incantation, from Latin incantatio. More at enchant.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Myths & Legends, Fairy Tales & Folklore