Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
abracadabra | a magic word, used as a charm. |
abraxas abrasax | a gem engraved with a mystical word and bearing a human-animal figure. |
amulet | a charm worn to ward off evil, disease, etc; a medicine supposed to operate magically. [L. amuletum]. |
amuletic | of or pertaining to an AMULET; operating as a charm. |
angakok angekkok angekok | an Inuit sorcerer. [Inupiaq (Greenlandic) angakkoq.] |
apotropaic | turning aside evil as of e.g. a TALISMAN. |
apotropaism | a magical practice averting evil. |
arcanum | a secret; a mystery; (generally used in the plural, ARCANA). Pl. ARCANA or ARCANUMS. |
archimage | a great magician. |
baetyl | a magical or holy meteoric stone. [Gr. baitylos]. |
boyla | a witch-doctor. |
cantraip cantrap cantrip | a charm; an incantation. |
conjure | to practise magical tricks. |
conjuration | the performing of magical tricks or summoning of spirits. |
conjurer conjuror | one who conjures. |
conjury | magic. |
diablerie diablery | black magic; demon lore; mischievous conduct or manner. |
enchanter | a sorcerer or magician. |
ensorcel ensorcell | to enchant. |
galdragon | in Scott, an obsolete Shetland word for a sorceress or witch. [ON galdra-kona]. |
glamour glamour | to enchant, cast a spell over. |
goetic | pertaining to GOETY, black magic. |
goety | black magic. |
gramary gramarye | magic, enchantment. |
greegree grigri grisgris | an African talisman or spell. Pl. GREEGREES, GRIGRIS, GRISGRIS. |
grimoire | a magician's manual for invoking demons and spirits of the dead. |
hagborn | born of a hag or witch. |
hagride | to drive as though possessed by a witch > HAGRODE, HAGRIDDEN. |
hellbroth | a composition for infernal purposes; a magical preparation. |
hex | something that brings misfortune; (verb) to bewitch. |
hexer | one who HEXES. |
hexerei | witchcraft. |
hoodoo | a body of practices of sympathetic magic traditional esp. among blacks in the southern U.S.; (verb) to bewitch, bring bad luck to. |
hoodooism | the bringing of bad luck. |
ichthys | an amulet or talismanic carving in the shape of a fish. [Gk. ichthys, fish]. Pl. ICHTHYSES. |
invultuation | the stabbing of wax image of person to be injured as form of witchcraft. |
jettatura | the evil eye. |
jinx | a person or thing that brings bad luck; an unlucky influence; (verb) to bring bad luck to, or put an unlucky spell on. |
juju | a fetish, a supernatural power. [Of uncertain origin, perhaps from west African language Hausa juju (fetish), probably from French joujou (toy).] |
kahuna | (Hawaiian) a witch-doctor; an expert in any field. |
legerdemain | slight of hand; magic tricks. |
mage magus | a magician; a person of exceptional wisdom and learning. The pl. of MAGUS is MAGI. |
mageship | the state of being a MAGE. |
magian | of or pertaining to the Magi; (noun) a sorcerer. |
magianism | the teachings or philosophy of the MAGI. |
magic | to practise magic > MAGICKED. |
magical | relating to magic. |
magically | mAGICAL. |
magician | one who practises magic. |
magism | being a MAGE. |
magus | see MAGE. |
makutu | (Maori) Polynesian witchcraft; (verb) to cast a spell upon > MAKUTUS, MAKUTUING, MAKUTUED. |
mganga | in Tanzania and other parts of E. Africa: an indigenous African doctor, a witch-doctor. |
mojo | magic. [From the West African Ki-Kongo mojo meaning soul. In the U.S. it has come to mean an object invested with soul power, or spirit power, which thus has the capacity to heal, or especially, to influence]. Pl. MOJOS or MOJOES. |
moly | a magical herb given by Hermes to Odysseus against the charms of Circe; a species of wild onion. |
muggle | a person without magical abilities. |
muti | a traditional medicine, associated with witch-doctors. [Zulu umuthi tree, plant, medicine]. |
myal | relating to MYALISM, a magic cult among West Indian blacks. |
myalism | a magic cult among West Indian blacks. |
myalist | one who practises MYALISM. |
obe obeah obeahism obeism obia obiisM | West Indian witchcraft. OBEAH and OBI can also be verbs: to bewitch: OBIED, OBEAHED. |
ouija | a board with signs and letters on it, used with a planchette to receive alleged messages from the dead. |
pentacle pentagram pentangle | a five-pointed star, formerly used as a mystic or magical symbol. |
periapt | a charm worn as a protection against disease or mischief; an amulet. [Gk. peri, about + haptos, fastened]. |
philtre philtre | a love potion; magic potion; (verb) to put under the spell of a love potion. |
pisheog pishoge pishogue | sorcery. [Ir. piseog]. |
planchette | a board mounted on two castors and a pencil-point, used as a medium for automatic writing and supposed spirit-messages. |
sabbat | a witches' midnight meeting. |
sangoma | a witch-doctor. |
shaman | a doctor-priest or medicine man working by magic, esp a priest of Asian Shamanism. Pl. SHAMANS not SHAMEN*. |
sirenise sirenize | to bewitch, allure or enchant. |
sorcerer | a magician who employs SORCERY, divination by the assistance of evil spirits. |
sorceress | a female SORCERER. |
sorcerous | having the nature of SORCERY, divination by the assistance of evil spirits. |
sorcery | divination by the assistance of evil spirits. |
spellbind | to bind by or as by a spell. |
spellful | abounding in spells, or charms. |
talisman | an object supposed to have occult or magic powers, esp. an inscribed stone or ring worn as an amulet to avert evil or bring good luck, health, etc. [Arabic tilsam]. |
telesm | a kind of amulet or magical charm. [Gk. telesma]. |
thaumaturge | a performer of miracles, esp. a magician. [Gk. thaumat (wonder) + ergos (working)]. |
thaumaturgic | involving the supposed working of miracles. |
thaumaturgical | having to do with the working of miracles or magic. |
thaumaturgy | the performance of miracles. |
theurgy | magic or miracles by the agency of good spirits. |
theurgic theurgical | of or pertaining to THEURGY; magical. |
toadstone | any stone or stone-like concretion believed to be formed in a toad and to have magic powers. |
unspell | to free from a spell. |
unwitch | to free from witchcraft. |
vaudoo vaudoux vodoun vodun voodoo voudou vodou voudon voudoun | West Indian black magic. VOODOO and VOODOU can also be used as verbs) to bewitch by voodoo. |
voodooism | the belief in or practice of VOODOO. |
voodooist | a practitioner of VOODOO. |
warlock | a sorcerer. |
warlockry | sorcery. |
whammy | a malevolent spell or influence. |
wicca | the practice of witchcraft. |
wiccan | a member of the cult of WICCA. |
wisard | a wizard. |
wisewoman | a witch or seeress. |
witch | a person, esp a woman, supposed to have supernatural or magical power and knowledge esp through compact with the devil or a minor evil spirit; (verb) to bewitch. |
witchery | enchantment; witchcraft. |
witchhood | the state of being a witch. |
witchknot | a knot in hair supposedly tied by witches. |
witchlike | like a witch. |
witchy | like a witch > WITCHIER, WITCHIEST. |
wizard | a man who practises witchcraft or magic. |
wizardly | like a wizard. |
wizardry | sorcery, magic. |
zendik | in the east, one who abstains from magic or practises religion. |