noun
spell
Words or actions believed to have magical power.
The wizard casts a spell in the story.
Etymology
The older noun means speech or narrative. Words believed to exert magical power became a specialized kind of speech called a spell.
More examples
- She read the spell from an ancient book.
- The tale ends when the spell is broken.
- Several spells protected the hidden door.
Forms
spell · spells
Similar words
- incantation
- A set of words recited for a magical effect.
- charm
- Can mean magic words or an object credited with magic.