sorceress

A sorceress is a female practitioner of sorcery, the use or study of magic, often involving ritual, incantation, or the manipulation of supernatural forces. The term is gendered, with the male counterpart commonly referred to as a sorcerer.

Etymology and sense: the word sorceress originates from Old French sorciere, from the Latin sortilegus meaning “one who uses a charm,” based on sors or sort- meaning fate or lot and legere “to read” or “to gather.” Over time, the term came to denote a woman who uses magical arts, sometimes with associations to divination, enchantment, or occult knowledge.

Historical and cultural context: sorceresses appear in many traditions as healers, wise women, or ritual specialists. In ancient and medieval Europe, female magic-makers could be revered for knowledge of herbs and ritual practices or feared as witches. Across other regions, female magicians and priestesses feature in myths and folklore, though the label “sorceress” is most often an outsider or literary term in English-language contexts.

Modern usage: in contemporary fantasy fiction, games, and popular media, sorceress is a common title for a female user of sorcery, frequently distinguished from terms like witch, enchantress, or mage by nuance of magical method or authority. In some occult or ceremonial-magic communities, the word may denote a practitioner who studies or performs specialized magical rites.

See also: witch, enchantress, sorcery, magic, thaumaturgy, mage.