Witch Etymology
Theorists have come up with many viable origins for the word "witch". The most popular of these are the Proto Indo-European Theories. They are weik1, weik2 and weid.[1] Most English dictionaries will use one of these three sources to describe the origins of ‘witch’.
Weik is listed twice because, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, weik actually has five distinct etymological branches but only two are attributed to the supernatural.[2] In contrast, the Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, proponent of the ‘weid’ premise, states that ‘witch’ primarily comes from the word ‘witan’ through a series of phonetic changes. One well thought out argument for this theorem can be found at the following web site Draeconin by Tom Johnson.
Weik 1: in regards to sorcery and religious matters [3]
- wih-l
- OE: wigle (sorcery); wiglera, wiglere (sorcerer, seer or prophet); also > wil - MdE: wile; OF: and MF: guile
- wik
- wik- means holy
OHG: wïhen ; MdG: weihen (to consecrate): MHG: wïch (holy)
ON: vigja (also to consecrate),
L: victima (sacrifice) - wihl
- ON:(craftiness)
- wikke
- [wikke pertains to magic and sorcery only.]
MG: wikken (to predict) OHG: wicken (to work magic) wikkerie(witchery)
LS: wiken, wicken. wigelen and wichelen (conjuring; soothsaying) ; wikker, wichler (fortune-telling) ; wikkerske (witch) ; wichelie (sorcery)
OE: wicca(m.), wicce (f.)(witch); wiccian (to work sorcery, bewitch) wicce-craeft (witchcraft) ME: witche and MdE: witch
Weik 2: bend or fold
- weik
- OE: wican (to bend) from which MdE weak, wicker and witch elm
OS: wican - wikan,
OHG: wichan, wicken (to bend)
ON: vikja (bend) vika (to fold)
Weid: to see or to know. Semantically, seeing and knowing are connected in Indo-European languages.
- weid or wid
- L: video videre (to see); saga (female witch) > MdE Sage Sagacious
G: wissen (to know); witken (to exercise ones knowledge)
E: wit (knowledge); witan (to know) witega (seer magician, prophet, sorcerer)
ON:, vitugr, vitka, vekka (vekke) (wise one)
There are other etymology theories but they are not widely accepted. There is ‘wat’ meaning prophecy, inspiration and ecstasy.[4] Then there is ‘weg’ (OE: weccan) from which we get ‘watch’ and ‘wake’ and perhaps even German’s ‘wikkjaz’ –literally meaning ‘one who wakes the dead’.[5]
Notes:
[1] In Nigel Jackson’s book Call of the Horned Piper they are listed as weik, wid and wat.
[2] The branch that refers to bend or fold has been connected to magic by some; as in the manipulation of energy. This is a very abstract and convoluted association. I disagree with this assesement but included it for the scope of the article.
[3] A History of Witchcraft, Russell B Jeffery; pg. 177
[4] Presently, I cannot find much information on this particular theory,
[5] Online Etymology
The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged Edition, Volume III
Wikipedia (witch)
Wordorigins.org (heathen)
I do not favor any one theory, but I am constantly asked to make a choice. So I choose ‘weid’ as the most viable etymology for the word witch. In addition to phonetically derivatives of the spelling there are the anthropological and historical considerations.
In my opinion, a word is an ideogram and while its etymology is interesting, I prefer the semasiology; a fancy way of saying the study of the development and changes of the meanings. I t is more than "just semantics". It is learning to say what you mean and mean what you say.