Making the Connection

alchemy

From Greek, khemeia to Arabic, alkimiya via medieval Latin: alchimia and Old French, fourteenth century: alquemie, meaning "the chemistry." A predecessor of chemistry practiced in the Middle Ages and Renaissance principally concerned with seeking methods of transforming base metals into gold and the "elixir of life."

apothacary

From the Greek apotheke meaning "storehouse." A pharmacist or druggist who is licensed to prescribe, prepare and sell drugs and other medicines, or a pharmacy—where drugs and medicines are sold.

charlatan

From the Italian ciarlatano, via seventeenth-century French ciarlare, meaning "to babble or patter" or "empty talk." Someone who makes elaborate claims or who pretends to have more skill or knowledge than is factual, such as a fraud or quack.

conjurations

The act of reciting a name, words or particular phrases with the intent of summoning or invoking a supernatural force or occurrence.

enchantments

Things or conditions which possess a charming or bewitching quality such as a magical spell.

enigma

From Greek ainigma "to speak in riddles" and ainos, meaning "fables." Somebody or something that is ambiguous, puzzling or not easily understood and might have a hidden meaning or riddle.

evocation

The act of calling forth, drawing out or summoning an event or memory from the past, as in recreating.

Gnostic

From the Greek, gnostikos, meaning "concerning knowledge." A believer in Gnosticism, or relating to or possessing spiritual or intellectual knowledge or wisdom.

incantation

From fourteenth-century French, cantare, meaning "to sing" via Latin— incantare —"to chant." The chanting, recitation or uttering of words supposed to produce a magical effect or power.

Inquisition

Fourteenth century, from Latin inquirere via Old French inquisicion, meaning "to inquire." In the thirteenth century, Roman Catholicism appointed a special tribunal or committee whose chief function was to combat, suppress and punish heresy against the church. Remaining active until the modern era, the official investigations were often harsh and unfair.

loa

A spirit that is thought to enter the devotee of the Haitian voodoo, during a trance state, and believed to be a protector and guide that could be a local deity, a deified ancestor or even a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

neo-paganism

Someone who believes in a contemporary or modernized version of the religions which existed before Christianity, especially those with a reverence for nature over the worship of a divine or supreme being.

rite

Originally from an Indo-European base meaning "to fit together" and was the ancestor of the English words arithmetic and rhyme via, the Latin ritus. A formal act or observance as a community custom, such as the rite of courtship. Often has a solemn, religious or ceremonial meaning, such as the rite of baptism.

shape-shifter

A supposed fictional being, spirit or something that is capable of changing its appearance or form.

wizard

A variant of the fifteenth century word wisard, meaning "wise." Someone who professes to have magical powers as a magician or sorcerer, or a male witch. In general, someone who is extremely knowledgeable and clever.