Hello, my lovely.
A few weeks ago, I shared Part One of my witchcraft glossary, and I was so happy to hear how useful you found it!
Quite a few of you wrote in to share how helpful it had been while getting started with the craft, writing your fantasy novel (love this!), and for looking at new aspects of magick you hadn’t researched before. Many of you asked if I’d write a second instalment covering even more of the mysterious terms we stumble across as witches.
So, here we are!
In witchcraft, there is always a new fork in the path to go down with a whole new set of terminology to learn. You think you’ve mastered athames, besoms and correspondences, then someone casually mentions liminal spaces and you feel like you’re back at square one. I remember discovering green witchcraft in my late 20s and doing a deep dive into oxymels, tinctures and infusions. Mind blown. It was a whole new lexicon for me.
There is so much to learn, but I want to make the witchcraft space feel as inclusive and accessible as possible.
So, I’ve put together the second part of my A-Z of modern witchcraft: a glossary of the most common terms, tools and phrases you’re likely to come across in a witchcraft practice in 2026. If you’re a beginner to magick or looking for a witchcraft refresh, grab a pen and that fancy notebook you’ve been saving up and get these written down.
Let me know what you think in the comments!
If you enjoy posts like this, you can also upgrade your subscription to The Green Witch for deeper seasonal rituals, folklore deep-dives, spellwork, and Wheel of the Year guides to help you build a witchcraft practice that feels rooted in nature.
The A–Z of witchcraft (part 2)
ancestor veneration – the practice of honouring deceased family members or spiritual ancestors through offerings, remembrance or devotional rituals. The best time of year to do this is Samhain (31st October). We might be a little way off Halloween right now, but you can read my “Guide to Ancestor Offerings” here >
banishing – a spell or ritual performed to remove unwanted energy, influences or spiritual attachments, sometimes performed after a psychic attack, but also when you want to rid your life of a particular person or experience
binding – a magickal working to prevent harm or stop someone’s negative actions without necessarily causing harm in return. If you’re a lover of the 90s classic The Craft, think: “I bind you, Nancy, from doing harm. Harm against other people, and harm against yourself.”
cauldron – a key (and very traditional!) tool on a witch’s altar! The cauldron is one of the oldest symbols of witchcraft, representing transformation, rebirth and abundance. It is the symbol of the goddess Cerridwen, but also has many practical uses, including being a container for burning offerings, and for brewing herbs
cone of power – the energy raised during a witchcraft ritual before being directed towards a specific magickal intention
coven – a group of witches who meet regularly to practise together. Traditionally, the number of witches in a coven was 13 (of course), but nowadays witches meet in groups of two upwards and call themselves a coven. Witches can gather and practice together sporadically, but that isn’t necessarily a coven – a coven has a deep bond and meets either at every esbat (major moon phase) or every spoke on the Wheel of the Year without fail. Speaking of the Wheel, you can read my latest post on the Pagan festival of Lughnasadh here >
deity – a god or goddess honoured within a spiritual tradition. You might choose to work with a single deity throughout your practice, or you may work with many depending on what you need in your life at that time
devotional practice – regular acts of worship or connection with a deity, ancestor or spirit. This could be leaving offerings, saying prayers, lighting candles, chanting, meditation, creating art in their honour, or just spending time in quiet connection in front of your altar
elementals – spiritual beings traditionally associated with Earth, Air, Fire and Water. For Earth, think gnomes. Air, would be sylphs and fairies. Fire would be salamanders, and Water would be merfolk and undines, but there are others that fall in these brackets too
familiar – historically, a familiar was a spirit companion believed to assist a witch in magickal workings, taking the form of an animal, but also sometimes the form of a person. Today many witches affectionately refer to their pets as familiars, although the folklore is a little more complex than that, and I definitely don’t see Linnet that way. But she’s my best pal
folk magic – a traditional form of magick rooted in local customs, healing, charms and everyday life rather than formal ceremonial practice
gnosis – the personal spiritual knowledge gained through direct experience of the craft, rather than through books or established doctrine
hex – a spell intended to cause misfortune or harm. Not all witches practise hexing, and opinions differ widely across traditions. Read my opinions about them at the end of this post, “My 5 witchcraft hot takes (as a green witch)” >
infusion – a herbal preparation made by steeping leaves or flowers in hot water to extract their properties – usually in the form of a drinkable tea
liminal space – a threshold or “in-between” place believed to hold spiritual power, such as crossroads, doorways, dawn, dusk or the period between one season and the next. My fellow witch and I love them so much that we named our podcast after them! Listen to The Divine Void Podcast here >
offering – a gift given to spirits, ancestors, deities or the land. This might include flowers, bread, milk, water, song or prayer, but can get very specific depending on who your offering is for. For instance, many people might collect keys for the goddess Hecate, or might put their grandma’s favourite brand of cigarettes on their altar!
oracle cards – these are divination cards used for intuitive guidance and can be chosen from a deck in a ritual, or as part of your daily practice. They are usually less structured than Tarot and their meaning might be more readily interpreted. This is my favourite oracle deck >
oxymel – a herbal remedy made by combining vinegar and honey, often infused with medicinal herbs
psychic protection – practices intended to maintain healthy energetic boundaries, such as visualisation, cleansing or warding, and keep out any nastiness that is trying to wittingly or unwittingly cause you harm
spirit guide – a spiritual being that offers wisdom or protection throughout life. Your guides are often contactable through trance work, meditation or ritual work
Tarot cards – a divination system made up of 78 cards. Tarot cards can be used to gain guidance and self-reflection, and are divided into a fixed structure of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards in four different suits (usually Wands, Swords, Pentacles and Cups). They can often take years of study to master (although there is plenty out there online to help you understand the basics!). I use this deck.
tincture – a concentrated herbal extract made by steeping plants in alcohol (or sometimes glycerine) over several weeks. Tinctures are commonly used in herbalism because they preserve a herb’s properties for a long time and are taken in small doses, though some witches also use them in ritual or spellwork
trance – an altered state of consciousness used in meditation, hedge riding or spirit work
uncrossing – a cleansing and “unhexing” ritual intended to remove spiritual blockages, others’ spellwork against you, or any persistent negative energy
veil – the energetic boundary between the physical and spirit worlds. Many believe the veil is thinnest around the two Pagan festivals of Samhain (aka Halloween) and Beltane (May Day). But Samhain has a stronger reputation for this because, well… it’s a darker and spookier time of year!
ward – a protective spell placed around a person, object or home to keep you safe from spiritual harm. Read how to ward your own name here >
At the end of my book, The Witch’s Survival Guide, I have included a glossary of witchcraft terms, as well as several tables of magickal correspondences, because I remember how overwhelming the language of the craft and the many layers of symbolism felt when I first began. Witchcraft is filled with hidden meanings and terms that need to be learned by rote (witch hack: make your own flashcards) and through immersive practice in your craft over time, so never feel embarrassed if there is a word you don’t recognise yet. We’re all learning continuously within the craft, no matter how long we’ve walked this path!
I hope the second part of this glossary has helped demystify some of the language surrounding witchcraft and Paganism for you.
Let me know if you’ve found it helpful in the comments!
A question for you, lovely reader
What would you like to see more of on The Green Witch? I’m all ears!
There are currently more than 20,000 of you here with me today, which is absolutely wonderful and wild! I want to be writing the witchcraft content you’d like to hear more about – be it spells, magickal guides or nature deep-dives. Drop me a message or a DM (press the button below) on what you’d most like to read next on The Green Witch or to share your thoughts.
Until next weekend, bright blessings to you.
Jennifer x
Originally published on Substack
