What is a witch?

[Darius Brogan]

Male, 16-21

To me, a witch is a women who believes in witchcraft that preforms alchemy due to old times. Pretty much using flat out frogs and pig's blood to make chemicals rather then the scientific way of modern day.

However, a witch to me is usually evil. I've never seen any good in witches. Not talking about shows, cartoons.. I mean real life. I've never heard nor seen a real life good witch. But I do know they're not green ether haha.

I'd still love a witch. Love her to death.

Interestingly enough, you've got two different occupations all mixed up.

1) Witchcraft is simply a demonized Wiccan practice. Evil doesn't play into it, because the central Wiccan tenet is 'An it harm none, do what thou wilt'. Meaning sacrifice, murder, blood rituals, ect are out.
2) Alchemy was actually ancient chemistry, but laced with superstitions, and only seen as magic because of it's mostly unknown practices.

Another interesting point, all those horrific ingredients used in 'witchcraft' are actually the colloquial names for various herbs used in medicine. During the Churches infancy, when the ingredients had no universal Latin name, and the priesthood were trying to stamp out opposing religions, the townspeople used names like 'Adders Tongue', 'Rabbits foot', 'Wolfs Claw' and whatnot to describe the herb, simply because that's what the herd resembled.

 

[Rule Britannia]

Male age 15
A woman who has gained magical powers and uses them to harm people physically or emotionally.
The witch has gained her powers from a descending line of witches (like genetics) that starts with one woman making a bargain with the devil or a demon of sorts.

When 'Witch' is said to me that's basically what pops into my head, not a Harry Potter style witch.

 

[mega48man]

B) 16-21, male, you f***ing government agent.

a witch is someone who pracitces black magic, or dark magic, or just magic and is a dick about it. a wizard is someone who practices, um, good magic.

or you can insult someone by calling them a witch, inferring they're an old hag, but then you'd look like an idiot because no one uses witch as an insult.

 

[Hawgh]

Male, C.

Witch, a female hedge wizard. Often utilises a set of personalised rituals, and has a penchant for medicines and herbalism.

 

[The Funslinger]

16.

I'll give you the Dean Winchester definition: Witches are disgusting, unhygienic and creepy with a penchant for spilling their bodily fluids everywhere. Sold their soul to demons in exchange for power. Vengeful.

Male 16-21.

A witch is a female who can cast spells, brew potions and cause stupid European nobles to go out and murder kings for their amusement.[footnote]See 'Macbeth' for more details.[/footnote]

For the record, go and tell a Scottish person they're European and tell me what happens.

 

[oktalist]

Male 22-30

In the real world, a witch is either a Wiccan, or a derogatory term used by some religious types in the past to describe a female with some sort of heretical belief or who otherwise threatens the status quo. In fiction, a witch can be some sort of magic spell-casting potion-brewing lady.

 

[DracoSuave]

a witch is a wizard.

They come from the same word, and mean the same thing.

Any other definition was or is because of religious baggage or dogma.

 

[wottabout]

I am female, 16-21.

A witch is a person, generally female, who can cast magic or who practices rituals/dark arts with the intention of casting magic.

 

[Powereaver]

Male 22-30

but what i always think when i think of a witch is an older woman who performs spells and enchantments.. and black cats.. not usually men as thats a Warlock in my eyes

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

I need a bit of casual survey data for an essay.

As simply as you can, give your definition of a witch. I'm not going to add a poll because I don't want to bias results by suggesting options.

Female, 31

1) A Wiccan.

2) An arcane spell casting class in the Pathfinder RPG specializing in battlefield control.

3) Anthy Himemiya.

 

[Darius Brogan]

"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].

It's difficult to place a definitive origin on the word witch, because history tells us different stories about each word.

Another meaning of the word 'Wicca, or witta (Spelling in doubt)' was 'Wise one' and not 'sorceress' and ancient kings often took the advice of a council known as the wittan, or 'Council of Wise ones'

From a different perspective, the sound 'cc' was pronounced as 'tch' by the Anglo-Saxons, changing the word to 'Witch' and not 'Wicca'

To this day, most historians can't come to an agreement on which word means what definitively, or where the word 'witch' originates.

 

[Daverson]

Male 22-30

A witch is a female magician who has formed a pact with a supernatural force for either personal or communal gain. A male witch is known as a Warlock (it's worth noting a Warlock still practises Witchcraft, rather than Warlockcraft. Though, "Warlockcraft" would be a pretty cool name for an MMO).

Witches are one of the three basic kinds of magicians, the others being Wizards (who summon magic through from incantations) and Sorcerers (who are themselves a source of magic).

 

[kikon9]

Male: 16-21

A person whom practices nature magic and midwifery.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

For the record, go and tell a Scottish person they're European and tell me what happens.

If they're allowed to call Canadians "Americans" because we live in North America I will call them European

 

[GigaHz]

Male 22-30

A witch : Anyone who tries to convince me to sleep with them with 'their' condoms.

 

[StBishop]

Male, 31-50.

A woman who is delusional, believing they have magical powers.

A fictitious female with magical powers.

An insult used to describe an evil woman.

This is the best definition I've seen; I'm far too tired to formulate an eloquent definition out of the blue.

Except that I'm 21.

 

[StBishop]

16.

I'll give you the Dean Winchester definition: Witches are disgusting, unhygienic and creepy with a penchant for spilling their bodily fluids everywhere. Sold their soul to demons in exchange for power. Vengeful.

Male 16-21.

A witch is a female who can cast spells, brew potions and cause stupid European nobles to go out and murder kings for their amusement.[footnote]See 'Macbeth' for more details.[/footnote]

For the record, go and tell a Scottish person they're European and tell me what happens.

It's technically correct. Although in the context it would have been easier (and also more accurate) to have just said Scottish.

It's not as if it's an obscure fact that Macbeth is set in Scotland. Hell, it's referred to as "the Scottish play" within theatres.

 

[Nieroshai]

Age 21

A witch is an individual who practices witchcraft, which is performing magic through invoking spirits.

 

[BabySinclair]

Male, B

A woman that practices witchcraft. This includes hexes, magic, and the likes. There is no necessary link to pacts or bargains for power.

 

[kingcom]

Male, 16-21,

An Unsanctioned Psyker, often marked for death by the Ecclesiarch or Inquisition, highly likely to be controlled/manipulated/possessed by the forces of The Great Enemy. Designated Hereticus Majoris.