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Hi everyone,

I'm trying to find a word - I'm sure there is one! I'm hoping that those with a knowledge of the esoteric will be able to help.

Is there a word for the concept of repeating things three times in magical spells (of the witchy kind, if you know what I mean)? I'm sure there is one but for the life of me can't remember what it is.

Thanks in advance.......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_three_(writing)

That's actually a very good question, the rule of three is something totally different in the witchy world. I love the word 'thrice' but can't think of an actual word that means to repeat something three times over.

Hendiatris


Triad



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_(number)

I don't think I've ever needed to know such a word but now Gary's mentioned it I'd like to hear about it as well ! If there isn't an existing word, how about we develop one ourselves?

How about one based on Trintarian or Trichotomous?

Tritanic
triptograph
tripe
tripli-form

thrice

The trinity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7J5Y3aOxhk

Three is a magically powerful number. Incantations, etc. are often done three times, or else three times three times. Interestingly, you find similar instructions in old "family doctor" books (back when medicine was mostly folk remedies) -- take such-and-such medicine daily for three days, then three days off, and repeat until you've taken it for three times three days.

But there's no esoteric word specifically referring to this. I suppose I should add "as far as I know", but I've been studying in this field for nearly 40 years now, and am fairly confident I'd have run across the word somewhere by now if it existed.

The "Law of Three", according to Wiccans, says that anything you do to anyone, you get back threefold. I was taught a more specific form of the "Law of Three", which says that any attempt to curse an innocent person will cause the curse to rebound on the caster threefold. Take your pick.

An unrelated but interestingly named principle is the "Law of Tergiversation" (pronounced TER-jivv-er-sation, from the Latin meaning to turn your back). This says that an object or material can be used for a purpose opposite to its natural meaning. So, for instance, you might use a chicken heart in a spell for courage, or a fossil for youth.

My 2 cents worth:

I thought immediately of the word TRILOGY.

I googled it and found this explanation:
A "trilogy" is a set of three things that have something in common with each other and – collectively – are part of a set. Examples of "trilogies" would include a serialization of three novels or movies, of which each individual book or film may stand on its own merits, but requires the each other two to be complete.

triplicate??

"Trilogy" instantly makes everybody think of books or movies.

"Triplication" is what came to my mind, which is probably what would be used in books about magic. But it doesn't sound very mystical and would make people think of office forms.

A quick romp through "tri-" words in Chambers Dictionary has dredged up an interesting possibility: trifarious. Like "multifarious", but three. Literally in three rows, or facing three ways.

I also learned that a tribble is a wire rack for drying paper.

Gary Dickson wrote:Is there a word for the concept of repeating things three times

Yes,

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

I like 'Trifarious', just the sort of thing we'd see on QI or even 'Call My Bluff' - Trifarious, the actions of a Turkish Customs Official... or the period of history immediately after the Jurassic

tryst

Robbie wrote:"Trilogy" instantly makes everybody think of books or movies...

We also need to know, what is the purpose?
If it's a new magic trick, and you're aiming at magicians, you can call it what so ever.
If you want to use the term for lay people, then you are better off using a word people know as set of three things that have something in common ... like Trilogy. It doesn't have to be a movie or a book, just some 3 things that are connected.

The word Trifecta also springs to mind and Wiki says:
In horse racing terminology, a trifecta is a parimutuel bet in which the bettor must predict which horses will finish first, second, and third in exact order. The word comes from the related betting term, "perfecta". A trifecta is known as a tiercé in France and Hong Kong and as a tris in Italy.

It is also used in sports to describe scoring three points at one time (e.g. hat-trick), or succeeding at anything three times in three consecutive attempts, such as in cricket.