Dictionary

warlock en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈwɔː.lɒk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈwɔɹ.lɑk/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English warloghe, warlowe, warloȝe, from Old English wǣrloga (“traitor, deceiver”, literally “truce-breaker”), from Proto-West Germanic *wārulogō (“liar”), equivalent to Old English wǣr (“covenant, truce, pact, promise”) (from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁- (“true”); whence also Latin vērus) + loga (“liar”), from Proto-Germanic *lugô, related to Old English lēogan (whence English lie). The hard -ck ending originated in Scottish and Northern English, like the sense "male magic-user" (from the notion that such men were in league with the Devil and had thus broken their baptismal vows / betrayed Christianity). Cognate with Old Saxon wārlogo (“liar, unfaithful or insidious one”). A few writers alternatively propose a derivation from Old Norse varðlokkur (“incantations, charms”, literally “ward songs”), but as the OED notes, this is implausible due to the extreme rarity of the Norse word, the semantic difference, and because forms without hard -k, which are consistent with the Old English etymology (“traitor”), are attested earlier than forms with -k, and forms with -ð- are not attested.

Meanings

1. A male magic-user; a male equivalent of a witch; a wizard.
   • It was the day of warlocks and apparitions, now happily driven out by the zeal of the General Assembly. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
   • He was himself a warlock, or wizard, which they knew by his taking the witch's part. 1730, Edward Burt, Letters from a Gentleman in the North of Scotland:
2. (especially, in fantasy) A magic-user (regardless of gender).
   • Usually she blended in with the rest of the Academy faculty, making it easy to forget she was a warlock (at least, if you overlooked the blue skin). But he'd noticed that whenever another Downworlder was on campus, Catarina went out[…] 2015 July 21, Cassandra Clare, Robin Wasserman, Pale Kings and Princes, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
   • It seemed like a strange thing for her to risk on a student she barely knew—but then, she was a warlock. Simon had no idea what they were capable of, but he was getting better at imagining. 2015 March 17, Cassandra Clare, Robin Wasserman, The Lost Herondale, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
   • “We're also looking for a couple of warlocks,” Magnus said. “A Korean woman and a green fellow with horns.” “Oh,” said Fang with a distinct change of mood. “Them.” “You've seen them?” Alec said, trying not to sound too eager. 2020 September 1, Cassandra Clare, Wesley Chu, The Lost Book of the White, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:
   • “Is it because she was a warlock?” she asked. “I know different kinds of magic . . .” “No, that's not it, or at least . . .” Mereth paused, collecting her thoughts, then explained, “The warlockry doesn't help, Lady Sarai,[…]” 2015 February 25, Lawrence Watt-Evans, The Spell of the Black Dagger: A Legend of Ethshar, Wildside Press LLC, →ISBN, page 115:

Forms

Deriveds

warlocky

Translations (100)

uk чаклу́н (male magic-user) · id ahli sihir (male magic-user) · br strobineller (male magic-user) · sl čarovnik (male magic-user) · la magus (male magic-user) · fi velho (male magic-user) · cs čaroděj (male magic-user) · da magiker (male magic-user) · kw pystrier (male magic-user) · nn runekall (male magic-user) · de Hexenmeister (male magic-user) · de Zauberer (male magic-user) · is galdramaður (male magic-user) · ar ساحرة (male magic-user) · sq yshtës (male magic-user) · io sorcero (male magic-user) · ru чернокни́жник (male magic-user) · cs černokněžník (male magic-user) · sco warlock (male magic-user) · sk černokňažník (male magic-user) · uk характе́рник (male magic-user) · be вядзьма́к (male magic-user) · br sorser (male magic-user) · be вядзьма́р (male magic-user) · ar عَرَّاف (male magic-user) · fr enchanteur (male magic-user) · da heksemester (male magic-user) · eo sorĉisto (male magic-user) · pt feiticeiro (male magic-user) · ru маг (male magic-user) · yua waay (male magic-user) · ru чароде́й (male magic-user) · cmn 魔術師 /魔术师 (male magic-user) · sco sorcerar (male magic-user) · la fascinans (male magic-user) · be маг (male magic-user) · be чарнакні́жнік (male magic-user) · de Hexer (male magic-user) · tr sihirbaz (male magic-user) · oc brouch (male magic-user) · hrx Hexer (male magic-user) · it stregone (male magic-user) · ar مُشَعْوِذ (male magic-user) · la veneficus (male magic-user) · be чараўні́к (male magic-user) · he מְכַשֵּׁף (male magic-user) · id tukang sihir (male magic-user) · ar سَاحِر (male magic-user) · da troldkarl (male magic-user) · mk ма́ѓепсник (male magic-user) · sh чаробњак (male magic-user) · ru колду́н (male magic-user) · uk чарівни́к (male magic-user) · hu varázsló (male magic-user) · sco weird (male magic-user) · mi tohunga ruānuku (male magic-user) · ar مُشْتَغِلٌ بِالسّحْر (male magic-user) · sw mchawi (male magic-user) · fr sorcier (male magic-user) · nci nāhualli (male magic-user) · mk ве́штер (male magic-user) · uk маг (male magic-user) · be чарадзе́й (male magic-user) · xh igqwirha (male magic-user) · sv trollkarl (male magic-user) · ro vrăjitor (male magic-user) · sk strigôň (male magic-user) · fr magicien (male magic-user) · nn trollmann (male magic-user) · ru волше́бник (male magic-user) · mi ruānuku (male magic-user) · es brujo (male magic-user) · nn tauvrekall (male magic-user) · ca bruixot (male magic-user) · sh čarobnjak (male magic-user) · sv häxmästare (male magic-user) · ja 魔術師 (male magic-user) · mr चेटक्या (male magic-user) · sco varlet (male magic-user) · es mago (male magic-user) · da troldmand (male magic-user) · la fascinator (male magic-user) · pl czarnoksiężnik (male magic-user) · sco juglour (male magic-user) · ga fiaghruagach (male magic-user) · nl heksenmeester (male magic-user) · sk bosorák (male magic-user) · tr büyücü (male magic-user) · ar مُحْتال (male magic-user) · uk чорнокни́жник (male magic-user) · pl czarownik (male magic-user) · arn kalku (male magic-user) · es hechicero (male magic-user) · pt bruxo (male magic-user) · ja 魔法使い (male magic-user) · cy dewin (male magic-user) · oc bruèis (male magic-user) · pt mago (male magic-user) · gv fer obbee (male magic-user) · nn trollkall (male magic-user)