Where does “witchcraft” come from?
witchcraft (Middle English) comes from Middle English wicchecraft, from Old English wiccecræft, from Old English cræft, from Proto-West Germanic kraftu, from Proto-Germanic kraftuz, from Proto-Germanic -þuz, from Proto-Indo-European -tus — Derives action nouns from verb roots.
witchcraft (Middle English): Alternative form of wicchecraft
Definitions
- Alternative form of wicchecraft
Ancestry of “witchcraft”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | wicchecraft | witchcraft, magic; spell, a particular instance... |
| 2 | Old English | wiccecræft | the practice of witches, witchcraft, necromancy |
| 3 | Old English | cræft | strength, power; skill; art |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | kraftu | strength, power; skill |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kraftuz | strength, power |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -þuz | Forms result nouns from verb roots, usually from... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tus | Derives action nouns from verb roots |