warlock

American  

[wawr-lok] / ˈwɔrˌlɒk /

noun

1. a man who professes or is supposed to practice magic or sorcery; a male witch; sorcerer.

2. a fortuneteller or conjurer.

---

warlock ¹ British  

/ ˈwɔːˌlɒk /

noun

1. a man who practises black magic; sorcerer

2. a fortune-teller, conjuror, or magician

---

Warlock ² British  

/ ˈwɔːˌlɒk /

noun

1. Peter, real name Philip Arnold Heseltine. 1894–1930, British composer and scholar of early English music. His works include song cycles, such as The Curlew (1920–22), and the Capriol Suite (1926) for strings

---

Etymology

Origin of warlock

before 900; Middle English warloghe, -lach, Old English wǣrloga oathbreaker, devil, equivalent to wǣr covenant + -loga betrayer (derivative of lēogan to lie)

Compare meaning

How does warlock compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• warlock vs. sorcerer

Explanation

A warlock is the male equivalent of a witch or sorcerer. Your favorite fantasy novel might feature a wicked warlock who uses magic to take control of a peaceful kingdom. In fairy tales, myths, and other stories, there are many types of fanciful creatures and monsters, such as unicorns, goblins, and vampires. Another is the warlock, which is usually a male witch. Just as a witch uses magic — witchcraft — so does a warlock. This word most commonly has a negative connotation — that is, in literature, television, and film, a warlock is usually a villainous character (unlike, say, a wizard).

Example Sentences

People often ask me, “Are you a warlock? Do you have powers? What's your deal?”

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2025

As well as playing warlock Ambrose Spellman in the Netflix drama, Perdomo starred as Andre Anderson in Amazon Prime's superhero series Gen V.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2024

Kountz played Marnie’s nemesis, Kal, the son of the defeated warlock Kalabar.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2022

Instead, they got a destroyer, an infuriator, a little warlock constantly testing his powers.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2022

I watched the warlock move about the opposite side of the spacious rectangular cave.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall