Home › Glossary › Letter S

sorcerous formula

Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A phrase mimicking magical spells or esoteric rites, often with archaic diction

Detailed Definition
Sorcerous formulas evoke occult power through rhythmic commands and arcane vocabulary; poets use them to explore language’s performative magic, where naming becomes conjuring and verse becomes spell.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sorcerous formula: By blood and bone, by breath and name; I bind thee to this hour, this place, this will; hear me, O spirits of the deep; I call thee forth, and thou shalt come.
Additional Notes
Sorcerous formulas mimic magical spells: “By blood and bone, by breath and name”; they use archaic diction, parallel structure, and imperative mood to invoke power; found in Blake, Shakespeare, and contemporary fantasy poetry; avoid gimmickry—authenticity lies in ritual logic; related to ritual incantation, arcane phrase, and sacred utterance; powerful in poems of transformation, trauma, or hidden knowledge.
Also Known As
magic phrase spell formula arcane incantation
Skip to main content