I remember our kids, and now our grandkids, using the word \u201cabracadabra.\u201d It\u2019s a funny sounding word and it\u2019s kind of fun to say. The kids usually used it when performing some magic trick or something like that.\u00a0
Anyhow, it\u2019s been around for as long as I can remember and it doesn\u2019t seem like it\u2019s lost its appeal, especially with the younger set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I decided to look it up to see if it had any real meaning, or was just something people said. It turns out that abracadabra has kind of an interesting, and maybe a little mysterious history. It has been around for a long time and its origins can be traced back to ancient times and there are several theories about its etymology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially, abracadabra was more than just a theatrical catchphrase or something kids playing magic used. It originally was believed to hold protective and healing powers \u2014 especially against disease and evil spirits.\u00a0
The earliest documented use of abracadabra was in the works of Serenus Sammonicus, a Roman physician from the 2nd century CE. He prescribed the word as a charm to ward off illness, like malaria. The letters were written in a triangular form, with each line removing the first and last letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ABRACADABRA
BRACADABR
RACADAB
ACADA
CAD
A<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So abracadabra was considered a magic word of considerable power. A sick person would wear, around their neck, as amulet with the triangular inscription. The belief was that the disease would gradually disappear just as the inscription dwindled to nothing. Even today the word has believers in its powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some scholars believe the word comes from the Aramaic phrase \u201cAvra kehdabra,\u201d which translates roughly to \u201cI will create as I speak\u201d or \u201cIt will be created in my words.\u201d That interpretation ties the word to the mystical idea of creation through speech \u2014 common in ancient magical and religious traditions.
Some theories connect it to Hebrew, with possible roots like \u201cha-brachah\u201d (the blessing) and \u201cdebar\u201d (word) suggesting the phrase could mean something like \u201cblessing through the word.\u201d
Another suggestion is that the word may come from the Greek words \u201cabraxas,\u201d a mystical term found in Gnostic traditions, or from a corruption\u00a0 of Latin phrases. \u201cAbraxas\u201d was believed to represent a powerful mystical force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But today, abracadabra is usually just thought of as a word a magician might use before sawing a woman in half or making something disappear. Although it\u2019s also used like Jibber-jabber and mumbo-jumbo \u2014 nonsense. If you want to dismiss something written or spoken, you might say, \u201cThat\u2019s a bunch of abracadabra\u201d \u2014 like a baby\u2019s babbling, abracadabra is meaningless\u2026.
But it\u2019s still a fun word to say and I think we can all use a little \u201cmagic\u201d in our lives these days.
\u2014 30 \u2014<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I remember our kids, and now our grandkids, using the word \u201cabracadabra.\u201d It\u2019s a funny sounding word and it\u2019s kind of fun to say. The kids usually used it when performing some magic trick or something like that.\u00a0Anyhow, it\u2019s been … Continue reading