warlock Meaning & Definition
What Does Warlock Mean?
Warlock is a noun that means A male magic-user; a male equivalent of a witch. It is also used to mean A magic-user (regardless of gender).
Word Facts for Warlock
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈwɔː.lɒk// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Plural | warlocks |
Warlock Definition (Noun)
- A male magic-user; a male equivalent of a witch.
- A magic-user (regardless of gender).
Noun
- A male magic-user; a male witch.
Synonyms of Warlock
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Warlock synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Warlock
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Warlock in a Sentence
No example sentences are available for this entry.
Word Forms & Grammar
warlock (plural warlocks)
Words That Rhyme With Warlock
Origin of Warlock
Origin 1: Inherited from Northern Middle English warlow, warlowe (occasionally warlocke), 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). Cognate with Old Saxon wārlogo (“liar, unfaithful or insidious one”).
Origin 2: A few writers alternatively propose[1] a derivation from Old Norse varðlokkur (“incantations, charms”, literally “ward songs”),[2] 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,[3] and forms with -ð- are not attested. The same phonological development also appears in Scots elbuck (“elbow”) and winnock (“window”).
Pronouncing Warlock
The standard pronunciation of warlock is //ˈwɔː.lɒk//, spoken in 1 syllable.