spellbooks
Wizards' reference texts
Spellbooks are books containing magic spells, instructions for casting them, or both.
The term belongs primarily to fantasy fiction, role-playing games, and accounts of historical witchcraft.
A wizard's spellbook is a prized possession: She flipped through the ancient spellbook, searching for a protection charm.
In games like Dungeons & Dragons, spellbooks determine which spells a character can prepare and cast.
Substantial scholarly volume
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- parchmentTreated hide for manuscripts
- vellumPrepared calfskin for writing
incantations · arcana · occultism · necromancy · sorcery · enchantment · thaumaturgy · divination
Spoken magical formula
- conjurationMagical act of summoning
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- chantRepetitive rhythmic phrase
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
rite · pentagram · summoning · offering · purification · casting · circles · candles
Trivial magical incantations
- cursesSworn oaths or hexes
- hexesMalevolent magical spells
- enchantmentsMagical influences or charms
- illusionsDeceptive sensory experiences
transmutation · abjuration · divination · evocation · conjuration · necromancy · potions · recipes
Ancient plant-derived writing material
- scrollsRolled written records
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
- inscriptionsWords carved into surfaces
hieroglyphs · cuneiform · palimpsest · Sumerian · Babylonian · Egyptian · antiquity · relics
tome
Substantial scholarly volume
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- parchmentTreated hide for manuscripts
vellum · incantations · arcana · occultism · necromancy · sorcery · enchantment · thaumaturgy · divination · wizardry
incantation
Spoken magical formula
- conjurationMagical act of summoning
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- chantRepetitive rhythmic phrase
invocation · rite · pentagram · summoning · offering · purification · casting · circles · candles · altar
cantrips
Trivial magical incantations
- cursesSworn oaths or hexes
- hexesMalevolent magical spells
- enchantmentsMagical influences or charms
illusions · transmutation · abjuration · divination · evocation · conjuration · necromancy · potions · recipes · formulas
papyrus
Ancient plant-derived writing material
- scrollsRolled written records
- manuscriptsHandwritten or typed originals
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
inscriptions · hieroglyphs · cuneiform · palimpsest · Sumerian · Babylonian · Egyptian · antiquity · relics · artifacts
mythology
Body of traditional tales
chronicle · mythos · tradition · Merlin · Gandalf · Hogwarts · Necronomicon · apocryphal · secrets · prophecy
- magicwizard, wand, sorcerer, witchcraft, mage
- Wizard StuffGandalf, Merlin, Harry Potter, Hermione, wands
- occultwitchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, black magic, tarot
- occult booksgrimoire, grimoires, ancient tome, tome, sacred text
spellbookstextbooks
Educational reference volumes
reference books · user guides · cookbooks · encyclopedias · dictionaries
spellbooksscience textbooks
Educational volumes on empirical subjects
scientific journals · peer-reviewed papers · lab manuals · medical textbooks · chemistry textbooks