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Witch vs Fairy - What's the difference?

witch | fairy |

As nouns the difference between witch and fairy

is that witch is a person who practices witchcraft; specifically while fairy is the realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.

As a verb witch

is to practise witchcraft.

witch

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) wicche, from (etyl) .

Noun

(es)
  • A person who practices witchcraft; specifically:
  • #A woman who is learned in and actively practices witchcraft.
  • #*(rfdate) Shakespeare:
  • #*:He cannot abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch .
  • #(label) A Wiccan.
  • # A man who practices witchcraft.
  • #*:
  • #*:Some of the kynges had merueyl of Merlyns wordes and demed well that it shold be as he said / And som of hem lough hym to scorne / as kyng Lot / and mo other called hym a wytche / But thenne were they accorded with Merlyn that kynge Arthur shold come oute and speke with the kynges
  • #*(rfdate) Wyclif Bible (Acts viii. 9)
  • #*:There was a man in that city whose name was Simon, a witch .
  • (label) An ugly or unpleasant woman.
  • :
  • :(Shakespeare)
  • One who exercises more-than-common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person.
  • One given to mischief, especially a woman or child.
  • (label) A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera .
  • The stormy petrel.
  • Any of a number of flatfish:
  • # (Torbay sole), found in the North Atlantic.
  • # (megrim), found in the North Atlantic.
  • #, found near New Zealand.
  • Synonyms
    * (female magic user) wizardess, sorceress * (male magic user) wizard, sorcerer, warlock * (an ugly or unpleasant woman) See ,
    Derived terms
    (terms derived from witch) * bewitch * cold as a witch's tit * man-witch * nonwitch * witch ball * witchcraft * witch doctor * witches' brew * witches' knickers * witches' Sabbath * witchfinder * witch grass * witch hazel * witch-hunt * witching hour * witchy

    Verb

    (es)
  • (obsolete) To practise witchcraft
  • 'It approaches the witching hour'.
  • To bewitch
  • To dowse for water
  • Derived terms
    * witcher

    See also

    (other terms of interest) * athame * black magic * channelling * chiromancer * coven * crystal ball * curse * enchantment * familiar * fortuneteller * galdur * grimoire * hex * hoodoo * jinx * lamia * medium * necromancy * occultism * palmist * poppet * Sabbath * Satanism * scry * shaman * sorcery * spell * talisman * tarot * warlock * wicca * wizard

    Etymology 2

    Compare wick.

    Noun

    (es)
  • A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat and used as a taper.
  • English terms with homophones

    fairy

    English

    (wikipedia fairy)

    Alternative forms

    * faery * faerie

    Noun

    (fairies)
  • (uncountable, obsolete) the realm of faerie; enchantment, illusion.
  • A mythical being who had magical powers, known in many sizes and descriptions, although often depicted in modern illustrations only as small and spritely with gauze-like wings; A sprite.
  • (Northern England, US, derogatory, colloquial) a male homosexual, especially one who is effeminate.
  • (paganism) A nature spirit revered in modern paganism.
  • Two species of hummingbird in the genus Heliothryx.
  • Synonyms

    * (mythical being) fay, fey, fae, sprite * (male homosexual) fag (US), faggot (US), poof (UK), queen (wikipedia fairy)

    Derived terms

    * airy-fairy * fairy bread * fairy chess * fairy circle * fairy cycle * fairy dust * fairy floss * fairy godmother * fairy lights * fairy lily * fairy primrose * fairy ring * fairy ring champignon * fairy shrimp * fairy story * fairy tale * fairy thorn * fairy wren * fairyfloss * fairyland * fairy-tale, fairytale * tooth fairy * water fairy