different between incantation vs cantrip

English

Alternative forms

• encantation

Etymology

From Old French incantation, from Latin incantatio. More at enchant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /inkæn?te???n/
• Rhymes: -e???n

Noun

incantation (plural incantations)

1. The act or process of using formulas and/or usually rhyming words, sung or spoken, with occult ceremonies, for the purpose of raising spirits, producing enchantment, or creating other magical results.
2. A formula of words used as above.
3. (computing, slang) Any esoteric command or procedure.
   • 1998, John Purcell, Robert Kiesling, Linux: The Complete Reference: Book 1 (page 412)

     The appropriate incantation of route is shown below; the gw keyword tells it that the next argument denotes a gateway.

   • 2017, James Pogran, Learning PowerShell DSC (page 11)

     Servers move from being special snowflakes to being disposable numbers on a list that can be created and destroyed without requiring someone to remember the specific incantation to make it work.

Related terms

• incanter

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin incant?ti?. Synchronically analysable as incanter +? -ation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.k??.ta.sj??/

Noun

incantation f (plural incantations)

1. incantation

Related terms

• enchanter

Further reading

• “incantation” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

Unknown

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kænt??p/

Noun

cantrip (plural cantrips)

1. A spell or incantation; a trifling magic trick.
   • 1791, Robert Burns, "Tam o' Shanter", lines 125-8, [1]

     Coffins stood round, like open presses,
     That shaw’d the dead in their last dresses;
     And by some devilish cantrip slight
     Each in its cauld hand held a light […]

   • 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian, Collins, 1998, Chapter 12,

     I have some poor little skill—not like yours, Master Doctor, of course—in small spells and cantrips that I’d be glad to use against our enemies if it was agreeable to all concerned.

   • 1976, Kyril Bonfiglioli, Something Nasty in the Woodshed (Penguin 2001, p. 422)

     For one thing, I've no intention of distributing cantrips and costly crucifixes to every rapable woman in the Parish of St Magloire.

   • 2009, James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, Witch and Wizard (Little, Brown and Company 2009, p. 148)

     But it sounds to me like you're in a totally different category. Not garden-variety cantrip stuff.

2. A wilful piece of trickery or mischief

References