Where does the Word Witch Come From?
What we do know is what is found in writings of people from the early years and we can see how words change over time by comparing these writings. However there is much debate about where the word Witch actually stemmed from.
I am not going to delve too deep into the etymology of where the word witch came from as it is a complicated process of words and how they change in not only language and text but also in meaning over time. So keep this consideration in mind as we look at the origin of the word Wicca and witch.
There are many etymology theories about where the word witch comes from but we are going to start with the three most widely used Proto-Indo-European (4500-2500BC) root words. These three words are the words often found in dictionaries to describe the origins of witch.
Weik1 : relates to sorcery and religious matters.
Weik2 : to bend, wind. Derivatives include wicker, weak, vicarious.
Weid: to see or to know.
From these root words we travel through the years to the medieval times and we end up with two Old English words (650-1066AD) that will go on to eventually create the word witch.
Today we don’t really differentiate between a male and female witch, however back in the Old English times we find two separate words used to describe male and female sorcerers.
Wicce(Wich-e) – Noun – Old English – Term for a female sorcerer.
Wicca (wich-uh) – Noun – Old English – Term for a male sorcerer.
Eventually over time the male term Wicca became less common and was eventually replaced with words such as warlock and wizard in standard English. Once we moved into Middle English (1150 to 1500AD) the plural Wicche appeared and was a more gender neutral term.
Wicche – Plural – Middle English – Both male and female Sorcerers. To employ sorcery or magic, engage in witchcraft.
It was not until the 16th century, the time of Early Modern English (15th-17th Century) that the word Wicche finally changed to include a ‘t’ and transformed into the word Witch.
So now we know where the word witch came from but where does the word wicca come from? As we saw above Wicca in Old English was reserved for a male sorcerer but modern witches embrace the name Wicca as a more neutral name. It wasn’t until the 1950’s the modern version of the word Wicca started to appear sparingly in witchcraft books. Then in 1988 Scott Cunningham thrust the word into popularity by using it in the title of his book Scott Cunningham ‘s Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.
Witch and Wicca were used interchangeably for years and it is only a recent change that has prompted a distinction between the words Witch and Wicca. This distinction separates the religion from the practice of magick.
The need for this divide could be fueled by the growth of witchcraft and the offshoots of various identities and paths. Some witches reject the notion of worshiping a deity and prefer just to practice magick. Witchcraft can include many activities including astrology, casting spells, divination and more. It can also include modern and ancient beliefs from other cultures and religions. Wicca on the other hand is seen as a nature based religion that worships dual deities and follow the divine. Their spirituality and connection to the god and goddess is an important part of their lives.
It could also be attributed to the negative roots of the word witch. After all, a witch has been mistakenly associated with evil and the devil for thousands of years. The Oxenford dictionary still describes a witch as “a woman thought to have magic powers, especially evil ones, popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat and flying on a broomstick”. So perhaps the distinction between Witch and Wicca is to separate the religion from the negative views it has been given over time.
Regardless, now more than ever Witch is rising in popularity as more and more people embrace the spiritual path that is paganism.
Blessed Be x
Tarah
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I was always told it was to know