Witch vs. Wizard: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
A witch is typically a female associated with magical abilities, often portrayed in folklore as practicing sorcery, whereas a wizard is often a male figure depicted as possessing profound magical knowledge or skill.
Comparison Chart
Role in Stories
Can be a healer, curse caster, or sage
Often a mentor or source of wisdom
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Historical Treatment
Persecuted, especially in the past
Revered, consulted for guidance
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Witch and Wizard Definitions
Witch
A figure in folklore, often with a connection to the occult.
Children dressed as witches for the Halloween parade.
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Wizard
A person exceptionally skilled in a particular area.
He was a wizard with computers, fixing any issue.
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Witch
A practitioner of Wicca or similar neopagan religions.
The modern witch held a ritual for the solstice.
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Wizard
A sage or wise man with mystical insight.
The wizard foresaw the coming of a great king.
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Witch
A spiteful or enchanting woman.
In his stories, she was the witch who lured adventurers.
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Wizard
An adept in magical arts and scholarly knowledge.
The old wizard taught the secrets of alchemy.
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Witch
A person, especially a woman, claiming or popularly believed to possess magical powers and practice sorcery.
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Witch
One particularly skilled or competent at one's craft
"A witch of a writer, [she] is capable of developing an intensity that verges on ferocity" (Peter S. Prescott).
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Wizard
Someone, usually male, who uses (or has skill with) magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices.
You're a wizard, Harry
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Wizard
One who is especially skilled or unusually talented in a particular field.
He was a financial wizard, capable of predicting the movements of the stock markets.
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Wizard
(computing) A computer program or script used to simplify complex operations, often for an inexperienced user.
Use the "Add Network Connection" wizard to connect to a network in a series of simple steps.
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Witch
(now usually particularly) A woman who is learned in and actively practices witchcraft.
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Witch
One who exercises more-than-common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person.
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Witch
(geometry) A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.
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Wizard
A wise man; a sage.
See how from far upon the eastern roadThe star-led wizards [Magi] haste with odors sweet!
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Wizard
One devoted to the black art; a magician; a conjurer; a sorcerer; an enchanter.
The wily wizard must be caught.
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Witch
Glyptocephalus cynoglossus (Torbay sole), found in the North Atlantic.
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Witch
The Indomalayan butterfly Araotes lapithis, of the family Lycaenidae.
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Wizard
Possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers;
Charming incantations
Magic signs that protect against adverse influence
A magical spell
'tis now the very witching time of night
Wizard wands
Wizardly powers
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Witch
A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat and used as a taper.
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Wizard
A man with magical powers.
The wizard summoned a storm with a wave of his wand.
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Wizard
A conjurer or sorcerer in tales and folklore.
The wizard in the tale protected the realm with his magic.
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Witch
A cone of paper which is placed in a vessel of lard or other fat, and used as a taper.
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Witch
One who practices the black art, or magic; one regarded as possessing supernatural or magical power by compact with an evil spirit, esp. with the Devil; a sorcerer or sorceress; - now applied chiefly or only to women, but formerly used of men as well.
There was a man in that city whose name was Simon, a witch.
He can not abide the old woman of Brentford; he swears she's a witch.
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Witch
One who exercises more than common power of attraction; a charming or bewitching person; also, one given to mischief; - said especially of a woman or child.
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Witch
A certain curve of the third order, described by Maria Agnesi under the name versiera.
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Witch
A Wiccan; an adherent or practitioner of Wicca, a religion which in different forms may be paganistic and nature-oriented, or ditheistic. The term witch applies to both male and female adherents in this sense.
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Witch
To bewitch; to fascinate; to enchant.
[I 'll] witch sweet ladies with my words and looks.
Whether within us or withoutThe spell of this illusion beThat witches us to hear and see.
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Witch
A being (usually female) imagined to have special powers derived from the devil
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Witch
Cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something
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Witch
A woman thought to have magic powers.
The village witch concocted potions for healing.
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Witch
Someone practicing witchcraft, often with a focus on natural magic.
The witch read the stars and brewed her spells.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Are wizards always good in stories?
Not always; they can be good, evil, or morally ambiguous.
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Is 'witch' always used for females?
Traditionally, yes, but contemporary usage can be gender-neutral.
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Are witches always evil in stories?
No, witches can be good or evil, depending on the narrative.
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What's a familiar in relation to witches?
A familiar is an animal companion believed to assist witches with their magic.
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Can men be called witches?
Yes, men can be called witches, especially in modern Wiccan practices.
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Is 'wizard' a male-only term?
It is traditionally male, but the term can be used for any gender in modern fantasy.
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Can witchcraft be practiced without belief in the supernatural?
Yes, some view witchcraft as a symbolic practice rather than literal magic.
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Do wizards always have beards?
No, it's a common stereotype but not a requirement.
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Is wizardry always learned?
In many stories, wizardry requires study, but some wizards are born with innate abilities.
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Are wizards real?
Wizards as magical beings are fictional, but some people may identify as wizards in a spiritual or cultural sense.
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Do witches and wizards always have supernatural powers?
In most cultural depictions, yes, they possess some form of magic.
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Do all wizards use wands?
Wands are common tools, but not all wizards in stories use them.
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Do wizards always have magical battles?
Not always; many stories focus on wisdom and knowledge over combat.
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Are witches real?
There are people who identify as witches and practice witchcraft in various forms.
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Is there a difference in the magic practiced by witches and wizards?
In folklore, witches' magic is often more earthy and nature-based, while wizards' magic is more academic.
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Do witches have a specific dress code?
No, the stereotypical witch attire is largely a creation of popular culture.
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Do witches worship Satan?
This is a misconception; many witches practice nature-based spirituality.
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What is a coven?
A coven is a gathering or group of witches for the practice of witchcraft.
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What is an apprentice to a wizard called?
They are often simply called apprentices or sometimes initiates.
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Are there modern representations of witches and wizards?
Yes, witches and wizards are popular in contemporary media, often depicted with a modern twist.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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