witch

 
Pronunciation: /wɪtʃ/

noun

  • 1a woman thought to have evil magic powers, popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat, and flying on a broomstick.
  • a follower or practitioner of modern witchcraft; a Wiccan priest or priestess.
  • 2 informal an ugly or unpleasant old woman.
  • 3a girl or woman who is bewitchingly attractive.
  • 4an edible North Atlantic flatfish.
    • Glyptocephalus cynoglossus, family Pleuronectidae

verb

[with object]
  • cast an evil spell on: Mrs Mucharski had somehow witched the house
  • (of a girl or woman) enchant (a man): she witched Jake

Derivatives

witchlike

adjective

witchy

adjective (witchier, witchiest)

Origin:

Old English wicca (masculine), wicce (feminine), wiccian (verb); current senses of the verb are probably a shortening of bewitch