Hocus pocus (magic) derived from the Protoslavic word "kusiti", which is itself derived from Gothic "kausajn" meaning "to try", "to attempt". This may indicate that the wording belongs to the alchemy kitchen and court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor (1552 – 1612). Also, "hocus" may mean "to cheat" in Latin or a distorted form of the word "hoc", "this". Combination of the two words may give a sense, especially both meanings together "this attempt/experiment" and "cheated attempt/experiment". According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term originates from "hax pax max Deus adimax", a pseudo-Latin phrase used as a magical formula by conjurors.
Carolyn Hax Hax grew up in Trumbull, Connecticut, the youngest of four daughters. Her father, now retired, was director of research planning at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT. Hax graduated from Hopkins School in 1984 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University (1988). Hax was associate editor and news editor at the "Army Times" and copy editor and news editor at "The Washington Post". In 2001, Hax published her first book, "Tell Me About It: Lying, Sulking, and Getting Fat and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love." Her essay "Peace and Carrots" was included in