Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
A spell or incantation; a trifling magic trick.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: enchantment, hex, spell, cantrip, chantment, charm, craft, dwimmer, incantation, magic, magic spell, makutu, mojo, obeah, pishogue, rune, spellword, wanga
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A wilful piece of trickery or mischief.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A minor spell, typically one that can be cast without preparation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: roleplaying games
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From Middle Scots cantrip, cantrap (“a magic charm; a trick”). Further origin obscure, but likely a corruption of Scottish Gaelic canntaireachd (identical to Irish cantaireacht), referring to a system of musical notation consisting of a series of otherwise meaningless syllables memorised by pipers in learning their tunes; this was then used similarly to abracadabra. Regardless of details, ultimately derived from Latin cantō (“to sing, chant, play an instrument”).
