witch
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: geometry
mathematics
sciences
Etymology: Etymology tree
Old English wiċċe
Proto-Germanic *wikkōną
Proto-West Germanic *wikkōn
Proto-Indo-European *-ō
Proto-Germanic *-ô
Proto-West Germanic *-ō
Proto-West Germanic *wikkō
Old English wiċċa
Middle English wicche
English witch
The noun is from Middle English wicche, from Old English wiċċe (“(female) witch; sorceress”) and wiċċa (“(male) witch; sorcerer; warlock”), deverbative from wiċċian (“to practice sorcery”), from Proto-Germanic *wikkōną (compare West Frisian wikje, wikke (“to foretell; to warn”), German Low German wicken (“to soothsay”), Dutch wikken, wichelen (“to dowse; to divine”)), from Proto-Indo-European *wik-néh₂-, derivation of *weyk- (“to consecrate; to separate”); akin to Latin victima (“sacrificial victim”), Lithuanian viẽkas (“life-force”), Sanskrit वि॒नक्ति॑ (vinákti, “to set apart; to separate out”). Possibly related to wicked; see that entry for more. The verb derives from the noun.
Inflected forms:
form: witches
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: witches
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: witching
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: witched
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: witched
pos: verb
tags: past
Senses:
gloss: A person (now usually particularly a woman) who uses magical or similar supernatural powers to influence or predict events, particularly one with malicious motives.
pos: noun
examples: He cannot abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch.
It was easy to understand that they were witches, who had turned themselves into ravens.
However, the word "witch" came to be applied almost exclusively to women who were believed to achieve their power by making a blood pact with the Devil, sealed with their blood. They were usually old and ugly, and for this reason many unfortunate old ladies, whose only crimes were loneliness and a lack of beauty, went to the stake.
Recently in Sydney we met a male witch who claimed that witchcraft was his full-time occupation.
Several of the Leechbook recipes would have done credit to the witches in Macbeth.
gloss: A person who follows Wicca or similar New Age pagan beliefs.
pos: noun
examples: To be considered a Witch of a particular tradition you will have to be initiated into that tradition by someone else within that tradition, after following their specific program of study.
For many neopagan witch traditions the moon is seen as both a symbol of the Goddess and of the witch's power, symbolically, and the belief is that the full moon is the best time for all acts of magic.
gloss: An ugly or unpleasant woman.
pos: noun
tags: derogatory
figuratively
examples: I hate that old witch.
gloss: One who exercises more-than-common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person.
pos: noun
gloss: One given to mischief, especially a woman or child.
pos: noun
gloss: A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.
pos: noun
gloss: A storm petrel.
pos: noun
gloss: Any of a number of flatfish of species:
pos: noun
gloss: Any of a number of flatfish of species:
pos: noun
gloss: Any of a number of flatfish of species:
pos: noun
gloss: An Indomalayan butterfly, of Araotes lapithis, of the family Lycaenidae.
pos: noun
gloss: To dowse for water.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: And I told him there's a vein down there, I know 'caus I used to—uh, I went out here and witched one for this house, at the corner.
Nothing would make him shut up until I brought my dogwood stick into his office and witched for water.
Eventually, Don and Jim built nice big houses on their lots. We enjoyed watching them being built. I remember Don's builder came out and “witched” for a well.
Synonyms: magician
ugly woman
shrew
white sole
Derived words: as nervous as a witch
bewitch
black witch
cold as a witch's tit
half-witch
hedge witch
kitchen witch
man-witch
nonwitch
shadow witch
steppe-witch
water-witch
white witch
wind-witch
witch alder
witch ball
Witchblr
witch bottle
witchcamp
witchcraft
witch craze
witch cult
witch doctor
witch doctress
witchdom
witch-elm
witch elm
witchery
witches' besom
witches' brew
witches' butter
witches' cauldron
witches' knickers
witches' Sabbath
witches' stone
witchfinder
witch-finder
witchfinding
witch flounder
witch grass
witchgrass
witch hat
witch-hazel cone gall
witch-hazel cone gall aphid
witch hazel
witch-hazel
witch house
witch hunter
witch-hunting
witch hunt
witch-hunt
witch-hunty
witching hour
witchish
witchkind
witch-knot
witch ladder
witchlet
witchlike
witchling
witch-meal
witch moth
witch of Agnesi
Witch of November
witch-ridden
witch's bells
witch's besom
witch's bridle
witch's broom
witch's egg
witch's hair
witch's ladder
witch-smeller
witch's milk
witch's moneybags
witchspirit
witch's stirrup
witch's teat
witch's thimble
witch stone
witch's water
WitchTok
witchweed
witch window
witchy
witcher
Translations:
lang: Abkhaz
word: арупап
roman: arupʼapʼ
lang: Afrikaans
word: heks
lang: Albanian
word: yshtëse
lang: Arabic
word: سَاحِرَة
roman: sāḥira
lang: Aramaic
word: חרשתא
lang: Aramaic
word: ܚܪܫܬܐ
lang: Armenian
word: կախարդ
roman: kaxard
lang: Armenian
word: վհուկ
roman: vhuk
lang: Old Armenian
word: վհուկ
roman: vhuk
lang: Old Armenian
word: հմայք
roman: hmaykʻ
lang: Asturian
word: bruxa
lang: Azerbaijani
word: cadugər
lang: Basque
word: sorgin
lang: Basque
word: belagile
lang: Belarusian
word: ве́дзьма
roman: vjédzʹma
lang: Belarusian
word: чараўні́ца
roman: čarawníca
lang: Breton
word: gwrac'h
lang: Breton
word: sorserez
lang: Bulgarian
word: ве́щица
roman: véštica
lang: Bulgarian
word: вълше́бница
roman: vǎlšébnica
lang: Bulgarian
word: магьо́сница
roman: magjósnica
lang: Bulgarian
word: чароде́йка
roman: čarodéjka
lang: Burmese
word: ရွာသူ
roman: rwasu
lang: Burmese
word: စုန်း
roman: cun:
lang: Burmese
word: ကဝေ
roman: ka.we
lang: Catalan
word: bruixa
lang: Catalan
word: fetillera
lang: Cebuano
word: mamamarang
lang: Cebuano
word: bruha
lang: Chamicuro
word: shikechpalo
lang: Chechen
word: гӏам
roman: ğam
lang: Chechen
word: алмаз
roman: almaz
lang: Chechen
word: ешап
roman: ješap
lang: Chichewa
word: mfiti
lang: Chinese
word: 神姐
roman: sîn-chiá
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 巫
roman: wū
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 巫婆
roman: wūpó
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 巫人
roman: wūrén
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 女巫
roman: nǚwū
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 神婆
roman: shénpó
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 魔女
roman: mónǚ
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 女妖
roman: nǚyāo
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 師婆 /师婆
roman: shīpó
lang: East Circassian
word: уд
roman: wud
lang: West Circassian
word: нэгъучӏыцэ
roman: nɛğʷuĉʼəcɛ
lang: West Circassian
word: уды
roman: wudə
lang: Cornish
word: gwragh
lang: Corsican
word: strega
lang: Corsican
word: sdreia
lang: Corsican
word: maga
lang: Corsican
word: moca
lang: Czech
word: čarodějnice
lang: Danish
word: heks
lang: Dutch
word: heks
lang: Dutch
word: kol
lang: Dutch
word: tovenares
lang: Dutch
word: mare
lang: Emilian
word: stria
lang: Emilian
word: strìa
lang: Esperanto
word: sorĉistino
lang: Estonian
word: nõid
lang: Faroese
word: gandakelling
lang: Faroese
word: gívur
lang: Finnish
word: noita
lang: French
word: sorcière
lang: French
word: stryge
lang: North Frisian
word: Gögeler
lang: Saterland Frisian
word: Häkse
lang: West-Frisian
word: tsjoenster
lang: Friulian
word: strie
lang: Galician
word: meiga
lang: Galician
word: bruxa
lang: Galician
word: feiticeira
lang: Galician
word: saga
lang: Galician
word: bieiteira
lang: Galician
word: fada
lang: Galician
word: lurpia
lang: Galician
word: antaruxa
lang: Galician
word: sursuncorda
lang: Galician
word: bencedeira
lang: Galician
word: croucha
lang: Galician
word: vedoreira
lang: Galician
word: chamorra
lang: Galician
word: distria
lang: Galician
word: xugota
lang: Galician
word: nubeira
lang: Georgian
word: გრძნეული
roman: grʒneuli
lang: Georgian
word: ჯადოქარი
roman: ǯadokari
lang: Georgian
word: კუდიანი
roman: ḳudiani
lang: German
word: Hexe
lang: German
word: Gabelreiterin
lang: German
word: Hexer
lang: German
word: Hexenmeister
lang: Old High German
word: hagzissa
lang: Greek
word: μάγισσα
roman: mágissa
lang: Ancient Greek
word: φαρμακίς
roman: pharmakís
lang: Greenlandic
word: ilisiitsoq
lang: Greenlandic
word: kussuk
lang: Gujarati
word: વિચ
roman: vic
lang: Gujarati
word: ચૂડેલ
roman: cūḍel
lang: Haitian Creole
word: sòsyè
lang: Hebrew
word: מְכַשֵּׁפָה
roman: mekhashefá
lang: Hiligaynon
word: bahoy
lang: Hindi
word: चुड़ैल
roman: cuṛail
lang: Hindi
word: जादूगरनी
roman: jādūgarnī
lang: Hindi
word: डाइन
roman: ḍāin
lang: Hungarian
word: boszorka
lang: Hungarian
word: boszorkány
lang: Hungarian
word: bába
lang: Hunsrik
word: Hex
lang: Icelandic
word: galdrakerling
lang: Icelandic
word: norn
lang: Indonesian
word: ahli sihir
lang: Indonesian
word: penyihir
lang: Irish
word: cailleach
lang: Irish
word: bean Ultach
lang: Irish
word: cailleach Ultach
lang: Irish
word: amaid
lang: Irish
word: cailleach feasa
lang: Irish
word: seanchailleach
lang: Old Irish
word: badb
lang: Old Irish
word: ammait
lang: Italian
word: strega
lang: Italian
word: fattucchiera
lang: Italian
word: versiera
lang: Italian
word: maliarda
lang: Italian
word: saga
lang: Japanese
word: 魔女
lang: Kabwa
word: omurogi class 1
lang: Kabwa
word: omuturutumbi class 1
lang: Kannada
word: ಮಾಟಗಾತಿ
roman: māṭagāti
lang: Kannada
word: ಮಾಂತ್ರಿಕ ಸ್ತ್ರೀ
roman: māntrika strī
lang: Kannada
word: ಮಾಯಗಾತಿ
roman: māyagāti
lang: Karachay-Balkar
word: обур
roman: obur
lang: Karelian
word: noita
lang: Kashmiri
word: ڈٲن
roman: ḍạ̄n
lang: Kashmiri
word: رانٛٹَس
roman: rānṭas
lang: Kazakh
word: мыстан
roman: mystan
lang: Kazakh
word: жезтырнақ
roman: jeztyrnaq
lang: Khmer
word: មេមត់
roman: mei mŭət
lang: Khmer
word: ឌាក៌នី
roman: diəkenii
lang: Kongo
word: ndoki
lang: Korean
word: 무당
roman: mudang
lang: Korean
word: 마녀
roman: manyeo
lang: Kyrgyz
word: желмогуз
roman: jelmoguz
lang: Lao
word: ແມ່ມົດ
roman: mǣ mot
lang: Latgalian
word: rogona
lang: Latin
word: magus
lang: Latin
word: maga
lang: Latin
word: maleficus
lang: Latin
word: malefica
lang: Latin
word: venēficus
lang: Latin
word: venēfica
lang: Latin
word: fascināns
lang: Latin
word: fascinātor
lang: Latin
word: fascinātrīx
lang: Latin
word: sāgus
lang: Latin
word: sāga
lang: Latin
word: striga
lang: Latin
word: lamia
lang: Latin
word: pȳthōnissa
lang: Latin
word: strix
lang: Latvian
word: ragana
lang: Latvian
word: mačka
lang: Limburgish
word: heks
lang: Lithuanian
word: ragana
lang: Lombard
word: stria
lang: Lombard
word: strïon
lang: Low German
word: Hex
lang: Low German
word: Wicker
lang: Low German
word: Wickersch
lang: Low German
word: Wickersche
lang: Low German
word: Witsch
lang: Middle Low German
word: eteninne
lang: Luxembourgish
word: Hex
lang: Macedonian
word: вештерка
roman: vešterka
lang: Macedonian
word: волшебничка
roman: volšebnička
lang: Malagasy
word: mpamosavy
lang: Malay
word: ahli sihir
lang: Malay
word: penyihir
lang: Malay
word: sahir
lang: Malayalam
word: മന്ത്രവാദം
roman: mantravādaṁ
lang: Maltese
word: saħħara
lang: Manx
word: ben obbee
lang: Manx
word: buitçh
lang: Manx
word: caillagh
lang: Māori
word: hinematarau
lang: Mauritian Creole
word: churel
lang: Mauritian Creole
word: sorsier
lang: Middle English
word: wicche
lang: Navajo
word: áńtʼį́į́hii
lang: Navajo
word: adiłgąshii
lang: Ndonga
word: omulodhi class 1
lang: Ndonga
word: omulogi class 1
lang: Norman
word: chorchiéthe
lang: Norwegian Bokmål
word: heks
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: trollkjerring
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: heks
lang: Nyole (Uganda)
word: omulogo class 1
lang: Occitan
word: masca
lang: Occitan
word: bruèissa
lang: Occitan
word: fachilhièra
lang: Occitan
word: fachinièra
lang: Old English
word: hægtesse
lang: Old English
word: wiċċe
lang: Old English
word: wiċċa
lang: Old Galician-Portuguese
word: sorteira
lang: Old Norse
word: seiðkona
lang: Old Norse
word: vǫlva
lang: Old Norse
word: galdrakona
lang: Pashto
word: شیشکه
roman: šišaka
lang: Pashto
word: جادوګره
roman: jādugara
lang: Pennsylvania German
word: Hex
lang: Iranian Persian
word: ساحِرِه
roman: sâhere
lang: Plautdietsch
word: Hakjs
lang: Polish
word: czarownica
lang: Polish
word: wiedźma
lang: Polish
word: jędza
lang: Polish
word: heksa
lang: Portuguese
word: bruxa
lang: Portuguese
word: estria
lang: Portuguese
word: estrige
lang: Portuguese
word: feiticeira
lang: Puyuma
word: temararamaw
lang: Quechua
word: layqa
lang: Romani
word: ćovaxani
lang: Romani
word: ćovali
lang: Romani
word: drabarìca
lang: Romani
word: drabarni
lang: Baltic Romani
word: čovaxani (Latvia)
lang: Baltic Romani
word: čovaxanî
lang: Baltic Romani
word: vjeďma
lang: Baltic Romani
word: vedzma (Litovska)
lang: Sinte-Romani
word: čovaxani
lang: Sinte-Romani
word: broška
lang: Sinte-Romani
word: heksa
lang: Welsh-Romani
word: čovexani
lang: Romanian
word: vrăjitoare
lang: Romanian
word: vrăjitor
lang: Romansh
word: stria
lang: Romansh
word: streia
lang: Russian
word: ве́дьма
roman: védʹma
lang: Russian
word: колду́нья
roman: koldúnʹja
lang: Russian
word: волше́бница
roman: volšébnica
lang: Russian
word: чароде́йка
roman: čarodéjka
lang: Lule-Sami
word: guobas
lang: Santali
word: ᱯᱷᱩᱠᱨᱤᱱ
roman: phukrin
lang: Scots
word: ell-woman
lang: Scots
word: galdragon
lang: Scots
word: gyre carline
lang: Scots
word: hexie
lang: Scots
word: sorceres
lang: Scots
word: wancanny carlin
lang: Scots
word: weird-woman
lang: Scots
word: wise woman
lang: Scots
word: wise wife
lang: Scots
word: witch
lang: Scots
word: witch-carline
lang: Scots
word: witch-queen
lang: Scots
word: witch-wife
lang: Scottish Gaelic
word: ban-draoidh
lang: Scottish Gaelic
word: buidseach
lang: Scottish Gaelic
word: bana-bhuidseach
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: вѐштица
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: вјѐштица
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: штри̏га
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: цо̀прница
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: vèštica
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: vjèštica
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: štrȉga
lang: Serbo-Croatian
word: còprnica
lang: Sicilian
word: magara
lang: Slovak
word: čarodejnica
lang: Slovak
word: striga
lang: Slovak
word: bosorka
lang: Slovene
word: čarovnica
lang: Lower Sorbian
word: chódota
lang: Upper Sorbian
word: chodojta
lang: Upper Sorbian
word: kuzłarnča
lang: Spanish
word: bruja
lang: Spanish
word: hechicera
lang: Spanish
word: maga
lang: Sumerian
word: 𒊩𒈦𒈦
roman: /⁠mašmaš⁠/
lang: Swahili
word: mchawi
lang: Swedish
word: häxa
lang: Swedish
word: trollpacka
lang: Swedish
word: trollkvinna
lang: Tagalog
word: mananagisama
lang: Tagalog
word: mangkukulam
lang: Tajik
word: ҷодугарзан
roman: jodugarzan
lang: Tajik
word: албастӣ
roman: albasti
lang: Tajik
word: соҳира
roman: sohira
lang: Tamil
word: சூனியக்காரி
roman: cūṉiyakkāri
lang: Tamil
word: விரிச்சிகன்
roman: viriccikaṉ
lang: Taos
word: còhəoʼóna
lang: Telugu
word: మంత్రగత్తె
roman: mantragatte
lang: Thai
word: แม่มด
roman: mɛ̂ɛ-mót
lang: Tok Pisin
word: puripurimeri
lang: Tok Pisin
word: poisinmeri
lang: Tok Pisin
word: sanguma meri
lang: Tsou
word: yoifo
lang: Tswana
word: moloi
lang: Turkish
word: büyücü
lang: Turkish
word: sihirbaz
lang: Turkish
word: cadı
lang: Udi
word: тӏатӏмер
roman: ṭaṭmer
lang: Udi
word: куси
roman: kusi
lang: Ukrainian
word: ві́дьма
roman: vídʹma
lang: Ukrainian
word: чарівни́ця
roman: čarivnýcja
lang: Ukrainian
word: чаклу́нка
roman: čaklúnka
lang: Urdu
word: چُڑَیل
roman: cuṛail
lang: Uzbek
word: jodugar
lang: Venetan
word: striga
lang: Veps
word: noid
lang: Vietnamese
word: phù thuỷ
lang: Vilamovian
word: pyłwajs
lang: Volapük
word: magivan
lang: Volapük
word: himagivan
lang: Volapük
word: jimagivan
lang: Võro
word: nõid
lang: Votic
word: nõitõ
lang: Waray-Waray
word: barangan
lang: Welsh
word: dewines
lang: Welsh
word: gwrach
lang: Xhosa
word: igqwirhakazi
lang: Yao (Africa)
word: msaŵi class 1
lang: Yiddish
word: מכשפֿה
roman: makhsheyfe
lang: Zazaki
word: cındar