English
sorcery
Sorcery comes from Middle French sorcerie, from Latin sors ‘fate’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ser- ‘to bind’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ser-‘to bind’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sértisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sortis‘joining, joint’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsors‘fate’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600sorcerie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sorcery‘sorcery, wizardry, magic’
- Englishtodaysorcery
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ser-‘to bind’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sértisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sortis‘joining, joint’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsors‘fate’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600sorcerie
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sorcery‘sorcery, wizardry, magic’
- Englishtodaysorcery
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ser- ‘to bind’
series, service, stream, serve, conservative, hero, desert, insert, reservoir, assertion, sermon, conservatism, heresy, exert, assertive, concierge, observant, servitude, heretic, sark, strudel, conservator, servile, serf, sere, 32 more
through Proto-Italic *sortis ‘joining, joint’
consortium, consort, sortie, 3 more
through Latin sors ‘fate’
Today it means
noun Magical power; the use of witchcraft or magic arts.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ser- / sorcery