Abracadabra
Where did this come from?
No one really knows where this came from or how it became associated with magic, but it’s been around for a long time. There are lots of theories about where it came from – most of them conflict, and none can be confirmed.
The first usage of the word was in a book from the second century. It was “used” to enchant an amulet which would supposedly ward off disease.
While we associate the word with ironic humor today – a stage magician proclaiming it dramatically just before a trick – back in ancient times it was apparently taken quite seriously and rumored to hold supernatural power.
Why I Looked It Up
I just got to wondering.
I remember that Amazon was originally called “Cadabra.” In 1994, a then-unknown Jeff Bezos posted a job ad to Usenet in which he used that original name.