witch
a person, now especially a woman, who professes or is supposed to practice magic or sorcery; a sorceress.: Compare warlock.
a woman who is supposed to have evil or wicked magical powers: witches in black robes and pointed hats.
an ugly or mean old woman; hag: the old witch who used to own this building.
a person who uses a divining rod; dowser.
to bring by or as by witchcraft (often followed by into, to, etc.): She witched him into going.
Archaic. to affect as if by witchcraft; bewitch; charm.
to prospect with a divining rod; dowse.
of, relating to, or designed as protection against witches.
Origin of witch
1Other words from witch
- witchhood, noun
- witchlike, adjective
- un·der·witch, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use witch in a sentence
That same year, you had The Witches, which was another cold, bitter role––though certainly in a different way.
All Eyes on Anjelica Huston: The Legendary Actress on Love, Abuse, and Jack Nicholson | Alex Suskind | November 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYet most people outside that little circle still believe in witches and ghosts and goblins, and are very pagan-minded.
Inside 'Sons of Anarchy's' Final Season: Creator Kurt Sutter on the Most Brutal Season Yet | Annaliza Savage | September 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBennet, you might recall, was one of the few Democrats not running against witches who held on to beat a Tea Party GOPer.
Democrats’ Best Weapon for Midterms: Fear of a Red Senate | Michael Tomasky | February 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThree powerful witches are reduced to jealous love interests and impotent villains.
The Biggest Surprises and Disappointments in 2013 | Melissa Leon | December 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTI think using men to play the witches really helped because a lot of times, Lady Macbeth just seems like another witch.
Ethan Hawke On His Murderous, Seductive Turn as Macbeth | Janice Kaplan | November 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
They used to believe in witchcraft, and they burned millions—yes, millions—of innocent women as witches.
God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordJim was most ruined for a servant, because he got stuck up on account of having seen the devil and been rode by witches.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete | Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)Rene, the perfumer, is kept under guard in his own house by Solern's equerry, and so are the two witches.
Catherine de' Medici | Honore de BalzacWe are far from knowing just what happens when we pour acids and alkalies and foods into this witches' cauldron of blood.
The Treatment of Hay Fever | George Frederick LaidlawAll women affected by the belief in witches and in the uncleanness of woman.
Taboo and Genetics | Melvin Moses Knight, Iva Lowther Peters, and Phyllis Mary Blanchard
British Dictionary definitions for witch (1 of 3)
/ (wɪtʃ) /
historically, in mythology and fiction, a woman believed to practise magic or sorcery, esp black magic
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
informal, derogatory an ugly or wicked woman
a fascinating or enchanting woman
short for water witch
(tr) to cause or change by or as if by witchcraft
a less common word for bewitch
Origin of witch
1Derived forms of witch
- witchlike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for witch (2 of 3)
/ (wɪtʃ) /
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)
Origin of witch
2British Dictionary definitions for witch- (3 of 3)
having pliant branches: witchweed
Origin of witch-
3Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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