WITCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does witch mean? 

• WITCH (noun)
  The noun WITCH has 4 senses:

1. a female sorcerer or magician

2. a being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devil

3. a believer in Wicca

4. an ugly evil-looking old woman

  Familiarity information: WITCH used as a noun is uncommon.

• WITCH (verb)
  The verb WITCH has 1 sense:

1. cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something

  Familiarity information: WITCH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WITCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A female sorcerer or magician

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

enchantress; witch

Hypernyms ("witch" is a kind of...):

occultist (a believer in occultism; someone versed in the occult arts)

Derivation:

witch (cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devil

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("witch" is a kind of...):

imaginary being; imaginary creature (a creature of the imagination; a person that exists only in legends or myths or fiction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "witch"):

pythoness (a witch with powers of divination)

warlock (a male witch or demon)

Holonyms ("witch" is a member of...):

coven (an assembly of witches; usually 13 witches)

Derivation:

witch (cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A believer in Wicca

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Wiccan; witch

Hypernyms ("witch" is a kind of...):

pagan (a person who follows a polytheistic or pre-Christian religion (not a Christian or Muslim or Jew))

Sense 4

Meaning:

An ugly evil-looking old woman

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

beldam; beldame; crone; hag; witch

Hypernyms ("witch" is a kind of...):

old woman (a woman who is old)

• WITCH (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bewitch; enchant; glamour; hex; jinx; witch

Hypernyms (to "witch" is one way to...):

becharm; charm (control by magic spells, as by practicing witchcraft)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "witch"):

voodoo (bewitch by or as if by a voodoo)

spell (place under a spell)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

witch (a being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devil)

witch (a female sorcerer or magician)

witchery (the art of sorcery)

 Context examples 

“But now we must be off,” said Hansel, “that we may get out of the witch’s forest.”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Your witch's skill is rather at fault sometimes.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

What devil or what witch was ever so great as Attila, whose blood is in these veins? He held up his arms.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Keesh looked up and smiled. Nay, O Klosh-Kwan. It is not for a boy to know aught of witches, and of witches I know nothing.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

He would buy a schooner—one of those yacht- like, coppered crafts that sailed like witches—and go trading copra and pearling among the islands.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The stage was dark and the glow of the furnace had a fine effect, especially as real steam issued from the kettle when the witch took off the cover.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Come here, my little witch!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“Where did you get that quiz of a hat? It makes you look like an old witch. Here is Morland and I come to stay a few days with you, so you must look out for a couple of good beds somewhere near.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

"But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead—years and years ago."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)