Sorcery is the supposed practice of using magical powers, especially with the help of evil spirits. In stories and legends, a sorcerer might cast spells to control the weather, turn people into animals, or see into the future. The word carries a dark feeling: while a wizard in a fairy tale might seem wise and helpful, a sorcerer often seems more mysterious and dangerous.

Throughout history, people in many cultures believed sorcery was real and feared those accused of practicing it. During the Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts, innocent people were wrongly accused of sorcery and punished harshly. Today, we understand that real magic doesn't exist, but the word still appears in fantasy books, movies, and games.

You might encounter sorcery in adventure stories where heroes battle against dark forces, or in historical accounts of what people once believed. The related word sorcerer means someone who practices sorcery, while a female practitioner might be called a sorceress. When something seems impossibly skillful, people sometimes joke about it: “That pianist plays with such sorcery!” They mean the performance seems almost magical, even though they know it's actually the result of years of dedicated practice.