Meanings
plural sorceresses
- A female sorcerer, especially one who is elegant; compare witch.
Perch: In the head of this fish there are small stones that sorceresses used in concocting love-philtres.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 1801 more example
The strange-looking chamber, the red glare of the charcoal, her tall form, and long black hair loose, realised the wildest dream of one of the sorceresses of old, bending over herb and drug, to form their potent spells.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Laboratory”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 328
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Anglo-Normansorceresse
- Middle Englishsorceresse
- Englishsorceress
From Middle English sorceresse, from Anglo-Norman sorceresse.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek μάγισσα, φαρμακίς
- μάγισσα (mágissa)female wizard
- φαρμακίς (pharmakís)female wizard
- ἀοιδή (aoidḗ)female wizard
- γόησσα (góēssa)female wizard
- γραῖα (graîa)female wizard
Arabic سَاحِرَة
- سَاحِرَة (sāḥira)female wizard
Bulgarian чароде́йка, магьосница
- чароде́йка (čarodéjka)female wizard
- магьосница (magjosnica)female wizard
Chinese Mandarin 巫婆
- 巫婆 (wūpó)female wizard
Czech čarodějka, kouzelnice
- čarodějkafemale wizard
- kouzelnicefemale wizard
Danish troldkvinde
- troldkvindefemale wizard
Dutch tovenares
- tovenaresfemale wizard
Esperanto sorĉistino, magiistino
- sorĉistinofemale wizard
- magiistinofemale wizard
Finnish velhotar
- velhotarfemale wizard
French sorcière
- sorcièrefemale wizard
German Zaubererin, Zaubrerin
- Zaubererinfemale wizard
- Zaubrerinfemale wizard
- Zauberinfemale wizard
- Magierinfemale wizard
- Hexenmeisterinfemale wizard
Greek μάγισσα, στρίγγλα
- μάγισσα (mágissa)female wizard
- στρίγγλα (stríngla)female wizard
- γητεύτρα (gitéftra)female wizard
- φαρμάκη (farmáki)female wizard
Hindi जादूगरनी, डायन
- जादूगरनी (jādūgarnī)female wizard
- डायन (ḍāyan)female wizard
- भानमती (bhānamtī)female wizard
- टोनहाई (ṭonhāī)female wizard
Italian strega
- stregafemale wizard
Japanese 魔女, 女魔術師
- 魔女 (majo)female wizard
- 女魔術師 (jomajutshi)female wizard
Korean 요정, 마녀
- 요정 (yojeong)female wizard
- 마녀 (manyeo)female wizard
Latin maga, venefica
- magafemale wizard
- veneficafemale wizard
- strīgafemale wizard
- lamiafemale wizard
- fascinatrixfemale wizard
- fascinatoriafemale wizard
- fascinansfemale wizard
Latvian burve
- burvefemale wizard
Māori wahine mākutu
- wahine mākutufemale wizard
Polish czarodziejka, czarownica
- czarodziejkafemale wizard
- czarownicafemale wizard
- zamawiaczkafemale wizard
Portuguese feiticeira, bruxa
- feiticeirafemale wizard
- bruxafemale wizard
Russian волше́бница, колду́нья
- волше́бница (volšébnica)female wizard
- колду́нья (koldúnʹja)female wizard
- чароде́йка (čarodéjka)female wizard
- ве́дьма (védʹma)female wizard
Scottish Gaelic bana-bhuidseach
- bana-bhuidseachfemale wizard
Slovak čarodejka, kúzelníčka
- čarodejkafemale wizard
- kúzelníčkafemale wizard
Spanish hechicera, bruja
- hechicerafemale wizard
- brujafemale wizard
Swedish häxa, trollkvinna
- häxafemale wizard
- trollkvinnafemale wizard
Ukrainian чарівни́ця, чароді́йка
- чарівни́ця (čarivnýcja)female wizard
- чароді́йка (čarodíjka)female wizard
- чароді́йниця (čarodíjnycja)female wizard
Yiddish מכשפֿה, מכשפֿטע
- מכשפֿה (makhsheyfe)female wizard
- מכשפֿטע (mekhashefte)female wizard
Cite this entry
sorceress. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorceress
“sorceress.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorceress. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sorceress,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorceress.
Source: sorceress on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.