Witch, Wizard, Sorcerer or Warlock???

Question

Which is the correct term for a Male Witch?

And why are male Witches so keen on calling themselves "Witch" and so put off by the Term Warlock?
The Dictionary Definition of Warlock is a male Witch, not an Oath Breaker, who was it that came up with this oath breaker thing?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Witch.

While warlock does, indeed,mean oath breaker, if a male practitioner of magic wants to reclaim the term Warlock, he should go for it. Witch never meant anything good until modern days- all those ancient peoples witches base their stuff on had other names for themselves-their enemies called them witches...it wasn't something they called themselves.

If anyone who uses the word witch says you can't reclaim warlock, they are a hypocrite.

Answer 2

The term to describe a male witch is simply "Witch". Warlock is an Old English or Old Scots term literally translating to "Oath Breaker" and modern definitions will give you "Male witch" due to Christian misguidance on the term.

It's derogatory because it was given to both male witches and demons. Most will not like being called warlocks because "oath breaker" means "traitor to the craft".

The many Definitions I have found:

1) A term coined in the Burning Times . It was used to denote a traitor to the Craft, or one who had betrayed the followers of the Old Religion. It's origin is Scottish. Because of the negative connotations, it is not used by most Wiccans today.

2) A male witch or demon - The modern definition, which is not correct within the number of faiths that regard the members as "witches"

Answer 3

Wizard = Male Witch = Female Sorcerer = Male Sorceress = Female Warlock = Bad Wizard About their wands.. Witches and Wizards use a straight wooden stick. Sorcerers and Sorceresses uses wooden wands with an orb at the tip. Warlocks don't use wands. They're bad.

Answer 4

Witch is suitable for male witches. Warlock being an oath breaker is from the Gaelic... our modern definition comes to us from Hollywood. And Warlock means something more akin to "a deceitful person" than an actual oathbreaker (as there is no evidence of ancient people taking oaths like that - it is merely assumed that they did). The idea of "oaths" as they are applied to certain Pagan paths today comes down to us from groups like the Golden Dawn and the Freemasons which are usually listed as Ceremonial Magicians. A Wizard will be closer to a Ceremonial Magician. Sorcerer, from what I can tell of it, is one who deals in alchemy. But the word for witch comes down to us from Gaelic as well and in it's original form meant a Wise Man.... the feminine form of that would be like saying "Witchy" or "Witchay"

Answer 5

Craft Witchcraft Dictionary on WARLOCK



WARLOCK:

1) "Oath Breaker" and "Traitor", from Scottish Gaelic dialect. Also refers to the binding of the candidate in preparation for initiation. Wiccans do NOT use this word for a 'male witch'! Its meaning is from the Old English (one source: Scottish) word: waerloga.

2)A word for an untrustworthy man, an oathbreaker, sometimes an eunuch (castrated male). It's thought to have come into usage by Witches to describe one who had betrayed them.

Answer 6

Many male wicanns call them selves witches because the term "warlock" is scottish for traitor and oath breaker. Many worship scottsh god/godesses and do not wish tbe called a warlock. Was that a good explanation?

Answer 7

The dictionary is very probably still written by mostly Christians. How people use the word is in the dictionary, but the literal translation of the word is oath breaker.
WIth more knowledge comes change.

Warlock - Middle English warloghe, from Old English wǣrloga, oath-breaker : wǣr, pledge + -loga, liar (from lēogan, to lie).]

Answer 8

A male witch is a witch.

edit-Why not a Warlock? The word warlock translates to "A liar, vowbreaker, or a back-stabber." To a male witch, being called such is actually quite offensive. This is a term commonly given to a male witch who has betrayed his coven, or gone bad.(females are Enchantresses) Why not a Wizard? Because Wizards like to work alone. There are loop holes in this theory, yes, but this is the most common method a wizard is known to use.

Answer 9

Male witches are witches! Warlock was a title given to a witch who broken their vows to a coven ie oathbreaker. I don't know if they we all men or if women also earned this title?

So hows that transformation to a wolf coming?

Answer 10

Witch simply means can do magic. Warlock is evil witch, not just male. Check out some of the early episodes of the show "charmed". That might help you out.