fixatrices

Fixatrices is a term used in historical and folkloric contexts to refer to female practitioners of magic, enchantment, or witchcraft. Derived from the Latin fixatrix, the feminine of fixator, it appears in some medieval and early modern texts to describe women believed to use spells or charms to influence people, objects, or outcomes. In English-language scholarship, fixatrices usually appear in translations of Latin sources or in studies of demonology and folk magic, rather than as a stable contemporary category.

In practice, the label covers a range of roles. Some fixatrices acted as healers, midwives, herbalists, or diviners within their communities, akin to the cunning folk or wise women of European folklore. Others were accused of maleficium, using curses, love charms, or bindings to control others. The precise meaning depended on time and place, from skeptical clerical accusations in the late medieval and early modern periods to reported cases in court records and inquisitorial proceedings.

Cross-cultural usage varied; in some locales fixatrices were revered as knowledgeable women who regulated health and fertility, while in others they were feared as agents of harm. The modern term is largely obsolete; most scholars prefer “witch,” “enchantress,” “cunning person,” or “wise woman” depending on the context. When encountered in historical texts, fixatrix is often a translator’s choice or a conjectural label rather than a fixed occupational category.

See also: Witchcraft, Cunning folk, Enchantress.