hægtesse
/ˈxæj.tes.se/feminine
The English word 'witch' is translated into Old English as hægtesse. Wiktionary also lists wiċċe and wiċċa.
Meaning: person who uses magic (noun)
Ways to say it
| Old English | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hægtesse | /ˈxæj.tes.se/ | feminine |
| wiċċe | feminine | |
| wiċċa | masculine |
The term refers to a person who uses magic.
Which one should you use?
The forms wiċċe and wiċċa are gender-specific: wiċċe is a feminine noun used to denote a female practitioner of magic, while wiċċa is the masculine form. While hægtessa broadly refers to a person who practices magic or witchcraft, the specific form hægtesse is used as the default.
How does it change in a sentence?
hægtesse is a weak feminine noun. Its plural is hægtessan.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈxæj.tes.se/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st of 3.
Did you know?
- In Old English, hægtesse specifically carried connotations of a night-flying demon or a hag, whereas wiċċe was a more general term for a practitioner of magic.
- In early Old English texts, a wiċċa was not always viewed as evil but could be someone who used 'charms' to heal or predict the future.
- The word hægtesse is a cognate of the Old High German hagazussa, showing that early Germanic peoples shared a similar concept of the boundary-crossing witch.
Examples in context
- Sēo hægtesse sang galdor.The witch sang a spell.
- Hēo is mǣre hægtesse.She is a famous witch.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a mysterious woman in the village.
- ÆthelstanHēr cymþ sēo hægtesse.Here comes the witch.
- WulfrunHēo hæfþ miċelne cræft.She has great skill.
- ÆthelstanIs hēo gōd oþþe yfel?Is she good or evil?
- WulfrunIċ ne wāt, Æthelstan.I do not know, Æthelstan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “witch” translations and entries hægtesse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hægtesse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
