witch

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.2.1.1 Synonyms 1.2.1.2 Translations 1.2.1.3 Derived terms 1.2.2 See also 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.1.1 Translations 1.3.2 Verb 1.3.2.1 Derived terms

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: wĭch, IPA: /wɪtʃ/, SAMPA: /wItS/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɪtʃ
• Homophones: which, wich (in accents with the wine-whine merger), wych (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

[edit] Etymology 1

Wikipedia

From Old English wiċċa m., wiċċe f., from Proto-Germanic *vikkan, from Proto-Indo-European *weik-.

[edit] Noun

witch (plural witches)

1. (archaic or dialectal) A man who practises witchcraft.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book I.8:

     And som of hem lough [Merlin] to scorne, as kyng Lot, and mo other called hym a wytche.

2. A woman who is learned in and actively practices witchcraft.
3. (derogatory) An ugly or unpleasant woman.

   I hate that old witch.

[edit] Synonyms

• An ugly or unpleasant woman.

  See Wikisaurus:old woman, Wikisaurus:ugly person

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] See also

• warlock
• wicca
• wizard

[edit] Etymology 2

Origin unknown.

[edit] Noun

witch (plural witches)

1. An Atlantic flatfish, Glyptocephalus cynoglossus; Torbay sole.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to witch (third-person singular simple present witches, present participle witching, simple past and past participle witched)

1. (obsolete) To practise witchcraft

   'It approaches the witching hour'.

2. To bewitch
3. To dowse for water

[edit] Derived terms

• witcher