witching

[ wich-ing ]
/ ˈwɪtʃ ɪŋ /

noun

the use or practice of witchcraft.
fascination; charm; enchantment.

adjective

of, characterized by, or suitable for sorcery or black magic: a witching potion.
enchanting; fascinating.

Origin of witching

before 1000; Middle English wicching (noun and adj.), Old English wiccung (noun), derivative of wiccian to practice witchcraft. See witch, -ing1, -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM witching

witch·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for witching (2 of 2)

Origin of witch

before 900; Middle English wicche, Old English wicce (feminine; compare wicca(masculine) wizard; see wicked)

OTHER WORDS FROM witch

witch·hood, noun witch·like, adjective un·der·witch, noun

Example sentences from the Web for witching

British Dictionary definitions for witching (1 of 3)

witching
/ (ˈwɪtʃɪŋ) /

adjective

relating to or appropriate for witchcraft
rare bewitching

noun

witchcraft; magic

Derived forms of witching

witchingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for witching (2 of 3)

witch 1
/ (wɪtʃ) /

noun

verb

(tr) to cause or change by or as if by witchcraft
a less common word for bewitch

Derived forms of witch

witchlike, adjective

Word Origin for witch

Old English wicca; related to Middle Low German wicken to conjure, Swedish vicka to move to and fro

British Dictionary definitions for witching (3 of 3)

witch 2
/ (wɪtʃ) /

noun

a flatfish, Pleuronectes (or Glyptocephalus) cynoglossus, of N Atlantic coastal waters, having a narrow greyish-brown body marked with tiny black spots: family Pleuronectidae (plaice, flounders, etc)

Word Origin for witch

C19: perhaps from witch 1, alluding to the appearance of the fish