Abracadabra...Hocus Pocus...Why do magicians use these words, where do they originate???

Hocus pocus is a corruption of the Latin words intoned by the priest at which the bread turns into Jesus' body: In hoc est corpus meum
(This is my body).

abracadabra
magical formula, 1696, from L. (Q. Severus Sammonicus, 2c.), from Late Gk. Abraxas, cabalistic or gnostic name for the supreme god, and thus a word of power. It was written out in a triangle shape and worn around the neck to ward off sickness, etc.



And to add to Juan's answer:
hocus-pocus
1624, Hocas Pocas, common name of a magician or juggler, a sham-Latin invocation used in tricks, probably based on a perversion of the sacramental blessing from the Mass, Hoc est corpus meum "This is my body." The first to make this speculation on its origin apparently was Eng. prelate John Tillotson (1630-1694).

"I will speak of one man ... that went about in King James his time ... who called himself, the Kings Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus, and so was called, because that at the playing of every Trick, he used to say, Hocus pocus, tontus tabantus, vade celeriter jubeo, a dark composure of words, to blinde the eyes of the beholders, to make his Trick pass the more currantly without discovery." [Thomas Ady, "A Candle in the Dark," 1655]

WOW< thanks guys for your fast and informational answers!!!!!!!

goodness Juan,
is there nothing that you don't know?

quote:

Originally posted by hassia:
goodness Juan,
is there nothing that you don't know?

Women, hass, I'll never know women.

quote:

Originally posted by kittypal:
Abracadabra...Hocus Pocus...where do they originate???

Abracadabra

This is the name of the supreme deity of the Assyrians. It is also a magical word often appearing on an amulet, and first mentioned by the third-century physician Quintus Severus Sammondicus. It is often seen in the configuration of a diminishing triangle:

ABRACADABRA
ABRACADABR
ABRACADAB
ABRACADA
ABRACAD
ABRACA
ABRAC
ABRA
ABR
AB
A

It was believed that certain evils would diminish and vanish in the same way the word did. The word was often used by conjurors as an exclamation at the culmination of a trick. Now not so often employed, and in any case totally ineffective.

From An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural Exposed by James Randi
Notice the palindrome nature of the word as it is spelled the same bakwards and forwards.

A few other sterotypical magical phrases used by conjurers include:

"Alakazam"

"Presto-chango"

"Sim Sala Bim" (Made famous by Dante)

"Now!" (Made famous by Doug Henning)

quote:

Originally posted by kittypal:
Why do magicians use these words...

Medieval conjurors first began using exotic words to give their performances an air of authentic secret knowledge.

From Magic Words: A Dictionary by Craig Conley (Not even Amazon has this one!)

Good to see you again, JG.