Below you will find the meaning of words and terms used on this site. Alternatively, some words listed here may not appear on the site, but are here for easy reference for you if you come across a word you don’t understand.

A

ALL HALLOW’S EVE - An alternative name for Halloween, or Samhain
ALTAR - A surface on which a Witch’s tools and other sacred items are placed. Rituals and spells also take place around the altar.
AMULET - An item worn or carried for protection, or to deter negative influences.
ANOINTING OIL - A safe scented oil that is dabbed on the body in order to purify an individual mentally and spiritually.
ASPERGE - To sprinkle water in a ritual to clear a space of negativity and provide purification.
ASTRAL PLANE - The spirital plane, non-physical.
ASTRAL TRAVEL - The ability for the spirit to leave the body and visit other times and places.
ATHAME - A knife, usually with a black handle, used in rituals and ceremonies. Rarely used to actually cut anything, with the exception of the handfasting cake.
AURA - A term meaning ‘invisible breath’. Witches see an aura as a kind of energy atmosphere that surrounds each living thing. Some psychics can see auras. The patterns and colours within the aura are indicators of a person’s physical, mental and spiritual state.

B

BALEFIRE - An outdoor fire Wiccan gather around for dancing and working of magick (may also be called a REVEL FIRE)
BANISHING - The turning away of negative energies and spirits.
BELTANE - A Sabbat celebrated May 1st, to honour the marriage of the Goddess and the God.
BESOM - A broom, used to clear the sacred space of negativity.
BLESSING WAY - The ritualistic dedication of young children (similar to a baptism).
BLUE MOON - The second of two Full moons occurring in one calendar month.
BOLLINE - A knife, usually with a white handle, used for the cutting of herbs and other foods and materials to be used in rituals or other purposes. Often called the Working Knife.
BOOK OF SHADOWS - A workbook for Witches/Wiccans. Can contain notes, spells, rituals and other workings. Entries are generally handwritten, although it is now common to find ‘Discs of Shadows’ in typed format.
BURNING TIMES - A time in history when many people were punished for purported acts of Witchcraft which, at that time, was considered heresy.

C

CALLING THE QUARTERS - Acknowledgement of the four elements (Earth, Air, Fire and Water) in a ritual environment, either symbolic or verbal.
CASTING THE CIRCLE - The creation of a magickal sphere that encircles one’s ritual or working space. Helps to enhance one’s ability to focus, raise power, and contain that power until the practitioner is ready to release that energy.
CAULDRON - Any three-legged pot which many Witches and Wiccans use to represent the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother and Crone).
CENSER - An incense holder or burner.
CHALICE - A sacred cup used in ritual to hold the drink or salt-water. Represents the Goddess.
CHANT - A series of meaningful words that a Witch repeats to focus his or her will and raise energy toward a specific goal. A chant specifically designed for personal improvement is called an affirmation.
CHARGE - The infusion of power within an object.
CINGLAM - A knotted cord worn with ritual robes; often denotes connection to a coven or degreed status.
CONJURE/CONJURATION - The invoking of a helpful spirit for a specific task, usually seen in High Magick.
COVEN - A group of Witches or Wiccans who practice together. A coven can be any number but often includes thirteen members (one for each full moon of the year and representative of the Witches’ lucky number).
CRYSTALLOMANCY - Divination using candles.
CURSE - An appeal to supernatural powers for injury or harm to another (this, by the way, goes against the Wiccan Rede - ‘an it harm none, do what ye will’).

D

DEOSIL - Clockwise, generated positive energy.
DIVINATION - The practice of trying to discover the future or other things unknown through a specific medium like crystal gazing or tarot cards.
DOWSING - Searching for water or precious items using a Y-shaped branch or other types of rods whose movements indicate a ‘hit’.
DRUID - Priest or Priestess of Celtic Europe who performed many social and religious functions.

E

ELEMENT - One of the four forces of life from which all is made (Earth, Air, Fire, Water)
ELIXIR - A kind of potion used to energise, improve wellness and restore overall health to the person drinking it.
EQUINOX - A word meaning ‘equal night’. Twice a year, the duration of daylight and night are equal. This is a traditional time for many Wiccan celebrations, marking two of the four major points on the Wheel of the Year (the other two being solstices).
ESBATS - Wiccan full-moon celebrations

F

FAMILIAR - An animal that acts in the capacity of a magickal partner, guide, and teacher to a Witch or Wiccan.

G

GRIMOIRE - An alternative name for the Book of Shadows. Acts as more of a ‘recipe’ book than a journal.

H

I

INVOCATION - The calling of Gods, Goddesses or Spirits to assist in a ritual or spellcasting.

J

K

L

M

MAGICK - An alternative spelling to MAGIC, to differentiate between stage/theatrical magic and real magic; the act of focusing the energies of the Universe to affect needed change on the mundance plane.

N

O

P

Q

QUERENT - An enquirer; usually a person enquiring about the future, through tarot or runes, or other means of divination.

R

S

SABBAT - One of the eight major festivals of Wiccans, held to mark the end of a season and beginning of a new one, or days considered important by the Wiccan tradition.
SACRED SPACE - A space within which to work magick. This entails putting up a protective sphere of energy that holds energy in place and keeps negative influences outside.
SOLITARY - A Wiccan or Witch who practices alone, as opposed to within a coven.
SOLSTICE - The two times of the year (Summer and Winter) when the sun is either at its farthest northern or southern point of the celestial equator. Wiccans often celebrate the solstice as a fire festival to honour the sun.
SKYCLAD - Describes ritualistic worship without clothing (in other terms, dressed in nothing more than the sky).
SUMMERLAND - The place to which a soul goes after death to await reincarnation.

T

U

V

W

WANING MOON - First Quarter of the Moon Cycle; a crescent moon to the left.
WAXING MOON - Last Quarter of the Moon Cycle; a crescent moon to the right.
WIDDERSHINS - Counter-(or anti-)clockwise.

X

Y

Z