Witch Definition

wĭch

witched, witches, witching

noun

witches

A person, esp. a woman, having supernatural power as by a compact with the devil or evil spirits.

Webster's New World

An ugly and ill-tempered old woman; hag; crone.

Webster's New World

A practitioner or follower of white magic or of Wicca.

Webster's New World

A woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing.

American Heritage

A bewitching or fascinating woman or girl.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

verb

witched, witching

To put a magic spell on; bewitch.

Webster's New World

Webster's New World

To cause, bring, or effect by witchcraft.

American Heritage

To charm; fascinate.

Webster's New World

To use a divining rod to find underground water or minerals; dowse.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Witch

Singular:

witch

Plural:

witches

From Middle English wicche, from Old English wiÄ‹Ä‹e (“sorceress, witch") and wicca (“witch, sorcerer, warlock"), from Proto-Germanic *wikjô (“necromancer, waker of the dead") (compare West Frisian wikke (“witch"), Low German wikken, wicken (“to use witchcraft"), Old High German wÄ«han (“to consecrate"), Old English wiÄ¡le (“divination")), from Proto-Indo-European *weik- 'to choose, sacrifice, conjure'; akin to Latin victima (“sacrificial victim"), Lithuanian viekas (“life-force"), Sanskrit विनक्ति (vinákti, “to sift, separate out").

From Wiktionary
Middle English wicche from Old English wicce witch and wicca wizard, sorcerer weg- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Compare wick.

From Wiktionary