A witch is a person, usually a woman, believed to have magical powers. In fairy tales and folklore, witches often cast spells, brew potions in bubbling cauldrons, and ride broomsticks through the night sky. The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous fictional witches, with her green skin, pointed hat, and cackling laugh.

Throughout history, many cultures have told stories about witches. In medieval Europe, people feared witches and accused innocent women (and some men) of witchcraft, often with tragic consequences. These accusations were based on superstition and fear rather than facts. The Salem witch trials of 1692 in colonial Massachusetts show how dangerous these beliefs could become: twenty innocent people were executed based on false accusations of witchcraft.

Today, the word witch appears mostly in stories, costumes, and imagination. Some people identify as witches as part of certain spiritual or religious practices, but they're not claiming to shoot lightning from their fingertips. In modern stories, witches can be villains like the witch in Hansel and Gretel, or heroes like the witches who fight against evil in The Chronicles of Narnia. The image of the Halloween witch, with her black hat and cat, comes from these centuries of storytelling.