sorcery

noun

sor·​cery ˈsȯr-sə-rē How to pronounce sorcery (audio)
ˈsȯrs-rē
1
: the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits especially for divining : necromancy
2

Examples of sorcery in a Sentence

in olden times people suspected of sorcery were often put to death
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His Game 2 first half was evidence that his sorcery is still capable of outpacing Father Time. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2025 But the complexity remains transfixing, even after Errico quits the band and Stone pours his sorcery into the drum machine, a development that the film’s expert-musicians agree sets his music down a wide Yellow Brick Road. Wesley Morris, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025 Wakanda Forever, the series brings Riri back home to Chicago, where the lines between science and sorcery start to blur. Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Mar. 2025 Generating sophisticated charts or extracting hidden insights was a form of sorcery few dared to question. Florian Douetteau, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sorcery

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sorcerie, from Anglo-French, from sorcer sorcerer, from Medieval Latin sortiarius, from Latin sort-, sors chance, lot — more at series

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sorcery was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sorcery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorcery. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sorcery

noun
sor·​cery ˈsȯrs-(ə-)rē How to pronounce sorcery (audio)
: the use of powers gotten with the help of or by the control of evil spirits : witchcraft

More from Merriam-Webster on sorcery

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