Sorcery – 1. The use of magic or supernatural powers. Often used in reference to so-called “black magic” or any unexplained and frightening phenomenon which the ignorant desire to blame on a person. 2. The Christian Bible defines sorcery as: the use of power gained through assistance from evil spirits. 3. Implies great power or skill. Sometimes used figuratively to describe a person with great skill in their trade. 4. Sorcery (horse) (1808 – after 1832), a British Thoroughbred racehorse.
A person known for performing sorcery is known as a ‘sorcerer‘ (could be any gender, but typically used to refer to a male) or ‘sorceress‘ (female), and typically considered “evil”. These terms are most often used in writings of fiction and fairy tales. Titles such as ‘wizard‘ , ‘magician‘, and ‘white witch‘ are often used to refer to those who use their powers for good. Although these definitions are not completely accurate either.
Entomology of Sorcery
The first records of the word sorcery come from the 1200’s. It ultimately comes from the Latin word ‘sortiārius‘, meaning “person who casts lots”, referring to a person who tells fortunes.
In the 1300’s, sorcery referred to “witchcraft, magic, enchantment; a supernatural state of affairs; or seemingly magical works,”
From Old French ‘sorcerie‘, from ‘sorcier‘ means “sorcerer, or wizard,”
In Medieval Latin ‘sortiarius‘ meant “teller of fortunes by lot”. Sorcerer, literally means “one who influences fate or fortune.”
The Latin word ‘sors‘ (related to ‘sortis‘) means “lot, fate, fortune” (see sort (n.)).
Variations:
sorceries (plural)
sorcerer (noun, gender-neutral and male version)
sorceress (noun, female version)
sorcerous (adjective)
Synonyms:
alchemy, conjuring, divination, enchantment, glamour, hocus-pocus, hoodoo, incantation, jinx, magic, medicine, mumbo jumbo, necromancy, occult, possession, spell, voodoo, witchcraft, wizardry,
Antonyms:
disenchantment, exorcism,
References:
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