Conjuration

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌkʌnd͡ʒəˈɹeɪʃən/

Definitions

  1. A magical spell or invocation intended to summon a spirit or supernatural force ; the action of calling upon or invoking someone or something with earnestness or solemnity
  2. The performance of a ritual to summon spirits or produce magical effects ; the process of urgently requesting assistance or presence from a person or power
  3. An incantation designed to call forth entities or create magical influence ; the act of formally or seriously appealing for help, support, or presence

Etymology: The word "conjuration" entered English in the 14th century, borrowed from Old French "conjuration," which itself came from Latin "coniuratio." The Latin root combines "con-" (meaning "together") and "iurare" (meaning "to swear" or "to take an oath"). In its earliest Latin usage, "coniuratio" referred to a conspiracy or a solemn oath taken collectively—the sense of people swearing together against a common purpose or enemy. As the word passed into Old French and then into Middle English, its meaning began to shift toward the magical and supernatural. By the 14th century in English, "conjuration" had come to denote the act of summoning spirits or demons through magical incantations or ritual formulas. This semantic evolution reflects a broader medieval understanding of magic as a form of compelling or "calling forth" through words and oaths—a conceptual bridge between the original sense of swearing an oath and the magical sense of compelling spirits to appear or obey. The underlying idea remained one of summoning or constraining through the power of words spoken solemnly. The word also retained its earlier meaning of conspiracy or a binding agreement made under oath, though this sense became less common as the magical usage predominated. By the early modern period, "conjuration" was firmly established in English as the primary term for magical summoning, and it appears frequently in literature dealing with witchcraft, alchemy, and the occult. The related verb "conjure" (to summon by magic, or to implore solemnly) developed alongside it, and both words remain in use today, though the magical sense has largely given way to figurative uses—such as "conjuring an image" (bringing it to mind) or "conjuring up" (producing or evoking something, whether literally or imaginatively).

Synonyms: summoning, spell, invocation

Antonyms: dismissal