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View synonyms for sorceress

sorceress

[ sawr-ser-is ]

noun

  1. a woman who practices sorcery; witch.


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Gender Note

See -ess.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sorceress1

1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French sorceresse, equivalent to sorcer ( sorcerer ) + -esse -ess
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Example Sentences

Like Chihiro, whose name is taken away by the sorceress Yubaba and becomes “Sen” as she begins work in the bathhouse, the characters Taki and Mitsuha in Your Name lose their identities through the body switches.

From Time

The show jumps between his gruesome exploits and the story of a powerful sorceress and a lost princess, the timelines coming together as the season progresses.

From Time

At the end of WandaVision, Wanda discovers that she is the Scarlet Witch, a fabled sorceress with immense powers.

From Time

Endor is a sorceress who may or may not actually be able to converse with the dead.

There is, however, a sorceress who can transform people into various animals.

But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer, and of the harlot.

"That sorceress and Ruggiero both declare this reign is coming to an end; my difficulties will not last long," she thought.

"It is there that Azenor the Pale, the sorceress of Neroweg, carries on her witchcraft," answered the quarryman in a hollow voice.

Without answering, the sorceress continued her magic incantations, at the conclusion of which, holding up to Neroweg VI.

Instead of answering the sorceress, the poor little one threw himself sobbing upon her neck.

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More About Sorceress

What does sorceress mean?

A sorceress is a woman who can perform sorcerywitchcraft or magic.

The word sorcerer means the same thing but can be used for any gender, although it typically refers to a man.

The word sorcery often (though not always) refers to so-called black magic—magic used for evil purposes. That’s why sorceress and sorcerer are often used to refer to evil characters in works of fiction, especially in the fantasy genre.

In contrast, similar words like wizard and magician usually imply that such figures use their powers for good. If not, you’d usually call them an evil wizard or evil magician.

Apart from whether or not they use their supernatural powers for good or evil, the words sorcerer and sorceress often imply that such a person is very powerful due to having great skill and command of such powers.

For this reason, the word sorceress is sometimes used in a figurative way to refer to a woman who is very skilled at something, as if she has magical abilities, as in Maureen is a sorceress at coding. The word sorcery can be used to refer to such skill. The words wizard and wizardry are used (even more commonly) in the same ways.

Example: The sorceress has cast a powerful spell to enchant this land.

Where does sorceress come from?

The first records of the word sorceress come from the second half of the 1300s. The word sorcerer came later, around the 1520s. Both words ultimately come from the Latin sortiārius, meaning “person who casts lots” (referring to a person who tells fortunes). The suffix -ess is used in the feminine form of nouns, as in goddess and empress.

Fictionally speaking, a sorceress is a female magician (the kind who wields supernatural powers, not the kind who does card tricks). Sorceresses (be careful to fit in all those S’s when pronouncing the plural) are often villains in the stories where they appear. A well-known example is the appropriately named Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

The word sorceress is similar to witch or enchantress, but sorceress implies great magical power and skill. It also often implies evil. The figurative use of the word, though, usually doesn’t imply evil. When you call a chef a sorceress, it’s a compliment meaning that she uses her skill to make magic in the kitchen—not that she’s using her powers for evil.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to sorceress?

What are some synonyms for sorceress?

What are some words that share a root or word element with sorceress

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing sorceress?

 

How is sorceress used in real life?

Sorceresses most commonly appear (and disappear) in the context of fantasy.

 

 

Try using sorceress!

True or False? 

Sorceresses are always evil.

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