etymology modern english term refers religion contemporary pagan community competing definitions refers entirety movement refers explicitly traditions included called pronounced differently related old english word referred early 1950s english founder tradition referred community claimed learned term initiation late 1950s rival founder tradition begun referring religion followers possibly reference religion inclusive use term referring entirety religion traced britain early 1960s groups publicised use magazines literary sources later adopted figures like took united_states practitioners british traditional adopted exclusively means differentiate practices exclusive meaning countered generic term prolific authors entered popular culture gained increasingly eclectic character usage 1990s attempted distance term definitions separate definitions term pagan studies circa developed england 1960s broad inclusive covers forms modern especially share sufficient theological beliefs ritual practices considered denominations common religious movement contrast second developed united_states late 1970s refers specifically tradition descended little variation known usage pagan studies development use term contemporary recurring topic discussion field pagan studies majority academics independent scholars use inclusive definition given historical status prevalent usage pagan studies scholar thought logical easier choice disagreement confusion researchers defines definition american literary scholar religious studies scholar failed usage clear deal problem future urged scholars specify definition work origins old english early medieval language old english term masculine feminine counterpart ancestral modern english witch modern english term took old english basis fundamentally distinct words differing meanings pronunciation usage nearly millennium respective writes response witch cult hypothesis scotland saxon word witch usage scottish suggests early adopted term basis burgeoning faith theirs new religious movement took inspiration man largely responsible religion britain 1950s 1960s founder tradition term sense today referred religion cult witch cult likely term borrowed wrote book entitled witch cult western_europe use term spelled writings refer religion instead referring religion practitioners sense people wise people age old rites knowledge preserved teaching working processes think magic contrast use word article written reporter apparently explained man woman called quote offers piece evidence referred individually possible field misunderstood saying singular sense book meaning states heard term initiated september stating realised interesting half initiated word hit like knew old religion existed account repeated biography witch written attributed quoted saying halfway word mentioned knew thought burnt hundreds years ago survived account accurate existed fact spelled word necessarily indicate members spelled way relates account heard read word midst rite suffering poor grasp spelling grammar caused fact self educated possibly influenced spelled word meaning notes term resemblance word stating curious fact english speaking adopted saxon published writings idea religion dated period old english dominant language soon accepted term early followers known high high priest operated sheffield use term book speak writing red queen told alice words mean wanted mean talking today describe wishes use simple meaning craft connection founder tradition southern england 1950s psychologist stage ran company named home surrey controlled local press leading publicised court case having involved initially befriended argument tried discredit publishing secret book shadows term refer members tradition followers pagan religion placing light magazine journal entitled craft asked fellow contact shows responsible propagation possibly invention term possible term evidenced fact owner mail order business selling titles wrote letter friend february attacks included poem referred opinion use explicitly reference meant spelling possible bruce referring community case emergence term appears developed community early 1960s increasing numbers learned old english term origin modern term witch fact referred times book meaning early texts lives sixth sense specifically referred pagan religion earliest known published reference word advertisement published issue fate magazine cardiff based group advertised tradition linked charles mary allegedly born wales apparently goddess diana groups adopted deity diana featured american supposed account witch tradition gospel early use found december penultimate issue newsletter small column halloween reference craft apparently referring entire community author printed probably produced figures involved editing july group began publishing magazine titled founded united_states year 1960s initiate founded tradition known terms reference entire religion describes craft book widespread adoption reference brought benefits practitioners widely faced persecution practice term associated negative western imagination argued practitioners presentation removed social stigma faced developments north_america onward increasing numbers books teaching readers published earliest reference followed tree complete book saxon propagated newly developed tradition tradition referenced religion 1970s term rejected feminist groups united_states particular tradition term appear early works adopt 21st century phenomenon took place 1970s 1980s term increasingly associated purely known north_america variants encouraged elements communities wished emphasise perceived special position pagan community word appeared book title ancient way written published canada discussed based tradition increasing reaction ensuing years authors publish books containing titles advocated solitary practice best known guide solitary new generation examples included garden solitary life bible adopted american novelist title series young adult novels term employed increasingly eclectic manner authors like considered synonym turn began adopted wider scale india adopted french group widely known western popular culture utilised script writers popular american television shows vampire slayer episode titled way comes tenth titled reacting increasingly inclusive use term instead characterised practices forms considered exhibited mentality allied traditions reserved term suggests order distance increasing influence new age movement mainstream emphasis white light instead embracing traditional european view associated darkness states knew founded 1980s began describe 1990s
Etymology of Wicca