How to Say "Witch" in Yiddish

מכשפֿה

makhsheyfe/maχˈʃɛɪ̯fə/feminine

The Yiddish word for "witch" is מכשפֿה (makhsheyfe).

מכשפֿה is a noun used to describe a person who uses magic.

Meaning: person who uses magic (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The term is derived from a root meaning to deceive, bewitch or use magic.

מכשפֿה is the feminine noun, whereas the masculine form is מכשף.

The masculine form of this word is מכשף.

/maχˈʃɛɪ̯fə/

In Yiddish literature and storytelling, a מכשפֿה is frequently depicted as a grandmother figure who uses magic for domestic or healing purposes, rather than just for malevolence.
While מכשפֿה is the formal term for a witch, Yiddish speakers might colloquially use the word באַרבֿע to describe a person who is particularly unpleasant or malicious.
The spelling of מכשפֿה uses a 'fei' (ֿ), a small line under the 'fe' to distinguish it from a 'pey' (פּ) in many Yiddish orthographies.

דו ביסט אַ מכשפֿה!
You're a witch!
This example shows how to use מכשפֿה in an exclamation.
Tatoeba #12627709 by rul, translation #12626156 by rul
מערי איז אַ מכשפֿה.
Mary is a witch.
This sentence demonstrates how to identify a person as a מכשפֿה.
Tatoeba #9696128 by shekitten, translation #7367395 by Hybrid
דײַן מאַמע איז אַ מכשפֿה.
Your mother is a witch.
This sentence illustrates using מכשפֿה to describe someone's mother.
Tatoeba #10068903 by shekitten, translation #10067786 by Nylez
2 more sentences on Tatoeba

Avraham and Reizel are talking about a movie character.

אברהם Avraham

ווער איז די פֿרוי אין דעם פֿילם?
Ver iz di froy in dem film?
Who is the woman in this movie?
רייזל Reizel

זי איז אַ בבֿשע מכשפֿה.
Zi iz a bbeshe makhshfe.
She is an evil witch.
אברהם Avraham

קען זי רעדן מיט אַנימאַלן?
Ken zi redn mit animaln?
Can she talk to animals?
רייזל Reizel

יא, ווײַל זי איז אַ מכשפֿה.
Ya, vayl zi iz a makhshfe.
Yes, because she is a witch.

Sources

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