Where does “shadow witch” come from?

shadow witch (English) comes from English shadow, from English -y, from Middle English -y, from Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic -g, from Proto-Germanic -gaz, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.

shadow witch (English): Any orchid in the genus Ponthieva

Definitions

  1. Any orchid in the genus Ponthieva

Ancestry of “shadow witch”, step by step

shadow witch traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English shadow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishshadowA dark image projected onto a surface where light...
2English-yAdded to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives...
3Middle English-yDesignates an adjective, in many cases formed by...
4Old English-iġ-y, -ic
5Proto-West Germanic-gForms adjectives from nouns and verbs with a...
6Proto-Germanic-gaz-y
7Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic

via English Witch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishWitchA person (now usually particularly a woman) who uses magical or similar supernatural powers to influence or predict events, particularly one with malicious motives
2Middle Englishwicchewitch, wizard, sorceror; pagan, heretic,...
3Old Englishwiċċe(female) witch
4Proto-Germanicwikkōnąto practice sorcery
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwik-néh₂-
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyk-to separate, to choose; to contain, to envelop;...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱosEvery word from English -yEvery word from Old English -iġ