witch
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witch
a female thought to have special powers derived from the devil; a female sorcerer; an ugly evil-looking old woman: Many fairytales feature a scary witch.
Not to be confused with:
which – an interrogative pronoun, used in questions about alternatives: Which dessert would you like?
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
witch
(wĭch)n.
1. A person, especially a woman, claiming or popularly believed to possess magical powers and practice sorcery.
2. A believer or follower of Wicca; a Wiccan.
3.
a. Offensive An old woman considered to be ugly or frightening.
b. A woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing.
c. Informal A woman or girl considered to be charming or fascinating.
4. One particularly skilled or competent at one's craft: "A witch of a writer, [she] is capable of developing an intensity that verges on ferocity" (Peter S. Prescott).
v. witched, witch·ing, witch·es
v.tr.
1. To work or cast a spell on; bewitch.
2. To cause, bring, or effect by witchcraft.
v.intr.
To use a divining rod to find underground water or minerals; dowse.
[Middle English wicche, from Old English wicce, witch, and wicca, wizard, sorcerer; see weg- in Indo-European roots.]
witch′er·y (-ə-rē) n.
witch′y adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
witch
(wɪtʃ)n
1. (Alternative Belief Systems) historically, in mythology and fiction, a woman believed to practise magic or sorcery, esp black magic
2. (Alternative Belief Systems) a practitioner of a Nature-based religion founded on ancient beliefs, which honours both a male and female divine principle and includes the practice of magic, esp healing magic, and divination
3. informal derogatory an ugly or wicked woman
4. a fascinating or enchanting woman
5. (Alternative Belief Systems) short for water witch
vb
6. (Alternative Belief Systems) (tr) to cause or change by or as if by witchcraft
7. a less common word for bewitch
[Old English wicca; related to Middle Low German wicken to conjure, Swedish vicka to move to and fro]
ˈwitchˌlike adj
witch
(wɪtʃ)n
(Animals) a flatfish, Pleuronectes (or Glyptocephalus) cynoglossus, of N Atlantic coastal waters, having a narrow greyish-brown body marked with tiny black spots: family Pleuronectidae (plaice, flounders, etc)
[C19: perhaps from witch1, alluding to the appearance of the fish]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
witch
(wɪtʃ)n.
1. a person, now esp. a woman, who professes or is believed to practice magic, esp. black magic; sorceress.
2. an ugly or mean old woman; hag.
3. a person who uses a divining rod; dowser.
v.t. 4. to subject to or bring about by or as if by witchcraft.
5. Archaic. to affect as if by witchcraft; bewitch; charm.
v.i. Compare warlock. [before 900; Middle English wicche, Old English wicce (feminine); compare Old English wicca (masculine) wizard, akin to wiccian to practice magic, c. Middle Low German wikken]
witch′hood, n.
witch′like`, adj.
witch′y, adj. witch•i•er, witch•i•est.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
witch
- troll - Originally a witch or sorceress.
- fly-by-night - Said to be an old term of reproach to a woman signifying that she was a witch, and was extended to "anyone who departs hastily from a recent activity," especially while owing money.
- hag - First meant "witch."
- witch - In Old English, it was actually wicca and originally (c. 890) was a man who practiced magic or sorcery, who we now call a wizard; by the year 1000, witch came to be defined as "a female magician or sorceress."
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
witch
Past participle: witched
Gerund: witching
| Imperative |
|---|
| witch |
| witch |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
witch
From the Anglo-Saxon wicca, meaning “the wise one;” a person who practices witchcraft.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | witch - a female sorcerer or magician occultist - a believer in occultism; someone versed in the occult arts |
| 2. | witch - a being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devil coven - an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches imaginary being, imaginary creature - a creature of the imagination; a person that exists only in legends or myths or fiction pythoness - a witch with powers of divination warlock - a male witch or demon | |
| 3. | witch - a believer in Wicca pagan - a person who follows a polytheistic or pre-Christian religion (not a Christian or Muslim or Jew) | |
| 4. |  witch - an ugly evil-looking old woman old woman - a woman who is old | |
| Verb | 1. |  witch - cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or somethingvoodoo - bewitch by or as if by a voodoo spell - place under a spell |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
witch
noun enchantress, magician, hag, crone, occultist, sorceress, Wiccan, necromancer am evil witch who had cast a spell on the prince
Quotations
"witch: (1) An ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in wickedness a league beyond the devil" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
"witch: (1) An ugly and repulsive old woman, in a wicked league with the devil. (2) A beautiful and attractive young woman, in wickedness a league beyond the devil" [Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
witch
noun1. A woman who practices magic:
3. Informal. A usually unscrupulous woman who seduces or exploits men:
Informal: vamp.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
سَاحِرَةساحِرَه
čarodějnice
heks
noita
vještica
boszorkány
galdranorn
魔女
마녀
ragana
ragana
čarodejnica
čarovnica
häxa
แม่มด
cadıbüyücü kadın
mụ phù thủy
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
witch
(witʃ) noun a woman who is supposed to have powers of magic, usually through working with the devil.
ˈwitchcraft noun magic practised by a witch etc.
ˈwitch-doctor noun in some African tribes, a person whose profession is to cure illness and keep away evil magical influences.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
witch
→ سَاحِرَة čarodějnice heks Hexe μάγισσα bruja, brujo noita sorcière vještica strega 魔女 마녀 heks heks czarodziejka bruxa ведьма häxa แม่มด cadı mụ phù thủy 巫婆Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009