Warlock

From Traditional Witchcraft Wiki Project

Warlock is a word that is derived from either waerloga or vardlokkur and depending on the derivation can be either a derogatory term or reference to a specific magical tradition.

Waerloga is an Anglo-Saxon term and means 'oathbreaker' or 'truth shutter.' It is a derogatory term that was used to verbally and sometimes even physically mark a betrayer. The physical mark was made as a slash across the forehead that was intended to both brand the individual and in the case of someone who worked with magic was also intended to break their power.

Alternately, warlock is from the Old English waerloga meaning traitor, liar, or enemy. This is derived from waer which referenced faith or ware from the Old High German for truth, which is then coupled with leogan meaning to lie. Around the 11th c. the term was used in reference to the Christian devil, giants, and cannibals and by the 14th c. was a reference to a person that was alledgedly in league with the devil.

Vardlokkur from the Old Norse language means 'caller of spirits' or 'spirit singer.' This is often provided as an alernate etymology for the word warlock. This is a reference to enchanting from var meaning to keep, guard, watch, or ward which is cojoined with lokka meaning to allure, call, or entice. This is further derived to therefore be a ward song, guardian song, or even wyrd song and with this the person performing the song takes on the name of the song or echantment being enacted.