What does sorceress mean?
A sorceress is a female practitioner of sorcery: a woman, or a female character in folklore and fantasy, who is believed or depicted as using magic, spells, or supernatural powers. The term is closely related to “sorcerer” and “sorcery,” but it is less common in ordinary modern speech than “witch,” “wizard,” or “magician.” It survives mainly in stories, legends, fantasy literature, and historical descriptions of magical women. In such contexts, a sorceress may be benign, dangerous, mysterious, or formidable, and the word can carry an atmospheric or old-fashioned tone. Although “witch” is often used as a synonym, it has a broader and sometimes more socially charged history. “Sorceress” is therefore especially useful for evoking a traditional figure defined directly by the performance of sorcery.
nounA female sorcerer, especially one represented in folklore or fantasy as a practitioner of magic or spells. The word is now chiefly literary or archaic.
- A woman or female figure who uses sorcery, magic, or spells, particularly in folklore and fantasy.
"The sorceress vanished in a swirl of smoke before the astonished knights could draw their swords."
"An old sorceress guarded the entrance to the enchanted forest."
"The novel presents its central character as a sorceress rather than merely a powerful magician."
The regular plural is formed by adding -es to the ending ending in s.
"Tales of brave heroines and powerful sorceresses appear throughout the collection."
Once a serious word for a female user of magic, “sorceress” now gives even ancient enchantresses a distinctly storybook air.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sorceress come from?
The word entered Middle English in the feminine form of an Old French term meaning a female sorcerer. Its vocabulary ultimately derives from Latin sortilegus, a diviner who interpreted lots, from sors, meaning “lot” or “chance.” Over time, the meaning developed toward the broader modern sense of someone who practices sorcery.
Related word forms
How sorceress is actually used
Chiefly literary, archaic, or used for effect in fantasy and folklore. It is more specific than “witch” because it normally denotes the feminine counterpart of a sorcerer, although that gender distinction is not always observed in modern usage.
Easily confused with sorceress
A witch may be a practitioner of witchcraft or a magical figure from folklore, whereas a sorceress is specifically a female sorcerer and is now mainly a literary or archaic term.