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monsters > witches > what is a witch?
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Etymology – According to the Oxford English Dictionary, witch originally came from the Old English word, wicca.
Simply, a witch is someone who uses magic in order to influence events. Some witches use magic for good and some may use it for darker purposes - otherwise known as black magic. However, under true Wiccan law - the philosophy a witch adheres to - magic is only to be used to yield positive benefits. And if magic is used for evil intent, it will come back to the witch three-fold. In other words, very nasty karma.
Most societies believe in witchcraft – or some form of it. Healers and shamans were believed to use magic to heal. At one point, wiccans were considered healers. However, through the long, tortured history of witches, practicing witchcraft has come to signify dark implications.
Witches have long been associated with women practitioners, however, men can be witches as well. And there are many of them today. The term warlock is actually a misnomer and has been readily applied to the male-practicing witch. The word, warlock came from the 14th century and is a way to describe a man who practices black magic. The word sorcerer is also considered a male who practices black magic.
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