What is a witch?
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Male, <16 now, I've been watching a lot of Monty Python, before you read my answer. A witch is someone who turns me into a newt!
Male 16-21
Folk cultre: Women (sometimes man) who can preform magic a type of magic or spellcraft usalley haveing relations to the dark entiys in various religons *satans the prime example*
Pop culture: Trem for any female who can preform any form of magic or term for one who follows the wicken religion
Folk cultre: Women (sometimes man) who can preform magic a type of magic or spellcraft usalley haveing relations to the dark entiys in various religons *satans the prime example*
Pop culture: Trem for any female who can preform any form of magic or term for one who follows the wicken religion
b
Depends on the context of the question. The notion of what a witch is has changed over time. For example, witches in the past sold their soul to the devil for power in a Faustian kind of way but more modern day interpretations just imply they are magical but not necessary involved with the devil. In addition the term witch is used for more then just the mythological creature, its used for example, as a character in Valve's Left 4 Dead series. Beyond that, there are modern day people who practice "witchcraft" which is at lest semi-religious rituals and ceremonies that form some kind of a core foundation of belief. I'm not an expert on the subject, obviously, but I know that people practice witchcraft. As a result, its hard to give an overall definition but the simplest definition formed from the most common threads seems to be females(males are wizards) that practice some specific rituals know as witchcraft and may or may not have magical powers depending on the context.
Depends on the context of the question. The notion of what a witch is has changed over time. For example, witches in the past sold their soul to the devil for power in a Faustian kind of way but more modern day interpretations just imply they are magical but not necessary involved with the devil. In addition the term witch is used for more then just the mythological creature, its used for example, as a character in Valve's Left 4 Dead series. Beyond that, there are modern day people who practice "witchcraft" which is at lest semi-religious rituals and ceremonies that form some kind of a core foundation of belief. I'm not an expert on the subject, obviously, but I know that people practice witchcraft. As a result, its hard to give an overall definition but the simplest definition formed from the most common threads seems to be females(males are wizards) that practice some specific rituals know as witchcraft and may or may not have magical powers depending on the context.
30 (just today jeej!) Male. I'd say there's no specific age. Tiffany Aching has practically been a witch since 9...
captcha: impostur incom
Whut? I'm me, really! Well, could be my pervert doppelganger.
Edit: wow did I read that wrong... Well,
Witches are either: Goths taking things too seriously
Women who talk to treesand dance around naked
Practical women solving practical problems
captcha: impostur incom
Whut? I'm me, really! Well, could be my pervert doppelganger.
Edit: wow did I read that wrong... Well,
Witches are either: Goths taking things too seriously
Women who talk to trees
Practical women solving practical problems
Male
16-21
A person that practices witchcraft or follows the wiccan religion.
I am suprised people keep saying "a person that performs magic", because well...magic isn't real.
16-21
A person that practices witchcraft or follows the wiccan religion.
I am suprised people keep saying "a person that performs magic", because well...magic isn't real.
Male
A) Younger than 16 (for just less than another 2 months, but still 15 for now)
Witch; the definition varies from person to person, though most fall in the general ballpark of this:
one might consider a witch a female (or male, in some rare cases) who is capable of using magic (such as transformation, conjuration, and pyrokinesis), and often uses these magical powers for malevolent purposes. Witches are also known to posses at least amateur skills in enchantment and/or potion making, and frequently dress in black apparel. Finally, witches often have a feline companion, which is often female and black, and also often have a hay broom which is capable of flight that they use for transportation.
A) Younger than 16 (for just less than another 2 months, but still 15 for now)
Witch; the definition varies from person to person, though most fall in the general ballpark of this:
one might consider a witch a female (or male, in some rare cases) who is capable of using magic (such as transformation, conjuration, and pyrokinesis), and often uses these magical powers for malevolent purposes. Witches are also known to posses at least amateur skills in enchantment and/or potion making, and frequently dress in black apparel. Finally, witches often have a feline companion, which is often female and black, and also often have a hay broom which is capable of flight that they use for transportation.
"Witch" comes from the Old English word wicce "female magician, sorceress", the feminine of wicca, "sorcerer, magician", and derived from wiccian meaning "to practice magic", but there's linguistic evidence that this general word may have meant specific skills earlier, possibly including "necromancy", "soothsaying", "skill with drugs/herbs" or even "skill with horses" (but perhaps not all of these things) - e.g. see here [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=witch&allowed_in_frame=0].
Nowadays I think that the word has been appropriated by different groups for different uses. The Hollywood meaning (probably the most popular) means "sorceress", possibly (but not always) with necromantic overtones. Some sects of Christianity (arguably the next most popular usage in English) treat it as meaning "necromantic or diabolic magician". Various neopagan and satanic groups have also appropriated the word to mean anything from "soothsayer" to "necromancer" and "diabolist".
I personally don't use the word, except in fiction. People like to believe in magic, but magic has never passed routine clinical testing, and psychology explains magical belief better than self-proclaimed witches do.
Age: 41-50.
Nowadays I think that the word has been appropriated by different groups for different uses. The Hollywood meaning (probably the most popular) means "sorceress", possibly (but not always) with necromantic overtones. Some sects of Christianity (arguably the next most popular usage in English) treat it as meaning "necromantic or diabolic magician". Various neopagan and satanic groups have also appropriated the word to mean anything from "soothsayer" to "necromancer" and "diabolist".
I personally don't use the word, except in fiction. People like to believe in magic, but magic has never passed routine clinical testing, and psychology explains magical belief better than self-proclaimed witches do.
Age: 41-50.
Male, 22.
A witch, in fantasy, is a woman with magical powers that curses people.
In reality, it's a censored version of the word "*****".
A witch, in fantasy, is a woman with magical powers that curses people.
In reality, it's a censored version of the word "*****".
I'm a 16-year-old male.
Witches are magical girls who've had their Soul Gems corrupted into Grief Seeds.
16 M
Any individual with abilities gained by demonic or otherwise infernal means. Generally depicted as an older female.
Yeah, I'm the type of person who uses the dictionary definitions.
Of note is that in the past, getting somebody accused of this was an easy way to get said person executed.
Any individual with abilities gained by demonic or otherwise infernal means. Generally depicted as an older female.
Yeah, I'm the type of person who uses the dictionary definitions.
Of note is that in the past, getting somebody accused of this was an easy way to get said person executed.
Male, b) 16-21
A witch is a term for a magic user, usually with some nature affinity and in mainstream Western culture generally associated with a post-menopausal female practitioner of evil magic. In modern times, however, there are males and females who call themselves witches and practice exclusively positive magic, for fear of bad karma. "Whatever you do shall be returned upon you three times," they say. I suppose that applies to both members of the Wicca religion and non-affiliated magic users.
A witch is a term for a magic user, usually with some nature affinity and in mainstream Western culture generally associated with a post-menopausal female practitioner of evil magic. In modern times, however, there are males and females who call themselves witches and practice exclusively positive magic, for fear of bad karma. "Whatever you do shall be returned upon you three times," they say. I suppose that applies to both members of the Wicca religion and non-affiliated magic users.
Male - B)
'Witch' is difficult to pin a definition to.
1) To some, she's a woman who's sold her soul to Satan in return for various gifts of magic. though this witch doesn't actually exist.
2) To others she's someone wise with herbs and potions.
3) For many, she's a mother in law... hehehe... moving on...
4) For me, a witch is a person (male or female) who practices the Old Religion.
Though many of the more ancient practices and traditions have been lost to time, or crushed by Christians, those that survive are still practiced to varying degrees by various branches of Wicca and Paganism.
It's a shame that many people view is as a nonsensical, or new, religion; especially since, historically, it's twenty three thousand years older than Christianity.
'Witch' is difficult to pin a definition to.
1) To some, she's a woman who's sold her soul to Satan in return for various gifts of magic. though this witch doesn't actually exist.
2) To others she's someone wise with herbs and potions.
3) For many, she's a mother in law... hehehe... moving on...
4) For me, a witch is a person (male or female) who practices the Old Religion.
Though many of the more ancient practices and traditions have been lost to time, or crushed by Christians, those that survive are still practiced to varying degrees by various branches of Wicca and Paganism.
It's a shame that many people view is as a nonsensical, or new, religion; especially since, historically, it's twenty three thousand years older than Christianity.