witch

Meaning

Noun

1. A person (now usually particularly a woman) who uses magical or similar supernatural powers to influence or predict events.
2. A woman who follows Wicca or similar New Age pagan beliefs.
3. (derogatory, figuratively) An ugly or unpleasant woman.
4. One who exercises more-than-common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person.
5. One given to mischief, especially a woman or child.
6. A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.
7. A storm petrel.
8. Any of a number of flatfish of species:
9. Any of a number of flatfish of species:
10. Any of a number of flatfish of species:
11. An Indomalayan butterfly, of Araotes lapithis, of the family Lycaenidae.

Verb

To dowse for water.

Verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To practise witchcraft.
2. (transitive) To bewitch.

Synonyms

sorcerer

wizard

sorceress

hag

magician

enchantress

bewitch

hex

evil spirit

shaman

crone

warlock

witch flounder

jinx

vixen

demon

lamia

harridan

enchant

sibyl

glamour

ugly woman

Wiccan

wise woman

shrew

virago

charm

powwow

Torbay sole

gray sole

beldame

beldam

wise man

witchdoctor

ensorcell

supernatural power

do magic

cummer

night-hag

pishogue

craig fluke

pale flounder

torbay sole

grey flounder

pole flounder

female magician

grey-sole

whitch

Craig fluke

witch sole

Translations

bruja

Hexe

sorcière

strega

sorcier

brujo

bruxa

hechicero

heks

bruixa

Zauberer

fattucchiera

stregone

μάγισσα

Pronounced as (IPA)

/wɪt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wicche

Inherited from Old English: wiċċe

Cognate with Western Frisian: wikje

Cognate with Dutch: wikken

Cognate with Latin: victima

Cognate with Lithuanian: viekas

Cognate with Sanskrit: विनक्ति

In summary

The noun is from Middle English wicche, from Old English wiċċe (“witch (female), sorceress”) and wiċċa (“witch (male), sorcerer, warlock”), deverbative from wiċċian (“to practice sorcery”), from Proto-Germanic *wikkōną (compare West Frisian wikje, wikke (“to foretell, warn”), German Low German wicken (“to soothsay”), Dutch wikken, wichelen (“to dowse, divine”)), from Proto-Indo-European *wik-néh₂-, derivation of *weyk- (“to consecrate; separate”); akin to Latin victima (“sacrificial victim”), Lithuanian viẽkas (“life-force”), Sanskrit विनक्ति (vinákti, “to set apart, separate out”). Possibly related to wicked; see that entry for more. The verb derives from the noun.