crone
Wizened elderly woman
A crone is an old woman, especially one who is thin, ugly, or unpleasant.
The word is almost always derogatory: The old crone muttered curses at passersby.
In some feminist and pagan contexts, crone has been reclaimed as a term honoring elder women's wisdom, but the negative connotations dominate general usage.
Frightening elderly witch
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
- beldamUgly old woman
- enchantressWoman who uses sorcery
- necromancerSummoner of the deceased
spellcaster · conjurer · hex · curse · cauldron · potion · brew · charm
Frightening elderly witch
- harpyPredatory mythical bird-woman
- beldamUgly old woman
- shrewIll-tempered woman, or insectivore
- termagantHarsh, quarrelsome woman
fishwife · biddy · battle-axe · gorgon · frump · withered · haggard · wizened
Female with profound understanding
- elderSenior figure of authority
- matriarchFemale family leader
- grandmotherMother of a parent
- midwifeChildbirth assistance professional
herbalist · healer · keeper · storyteller · oracle · seer · prophetess · diviner
Advanced in age
- ancientVery old indeed
- wizenedShrunken from age
- witheredDried and shrunken
- wrinkledHaving surface folds
stooped · gray-haired · white-haired · weathered · careworn · time-worn · venerable · hoary
Greek goddess of sorcery
- Baba YagaSlavic witch of legend
- MorriganIrish goddess of fate
- KaliFierce goddess of endings
- underworldRealm of the departed
crossroads · moon · waning · winter · transformation · rebirth · destroyer · menopause
hag
Frightening elderly witch
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
- beldamUgly old woman
- enchantressWoman who uses sorcery
necromancer · spellcaster · conjurer · hex · curse · cauldron · potion · brew · charm · familiar
hag
Frightening elderly witch
termagant · fishwife · biddy · battle-axe · gorgon · frump · withered · haggard · wizened · toothless
wise woman
Female with profound understanding
- elderSenior figure of authority
- matriarchFemale family leader
- grandmotherMother of a parent
midwife · herbalist · healer · keeper · storyteller · oracle · seer · prophetess · diviner · shaman
elderly
Advanced in age
wrinkled · stooped · gray-haired · white-haired · weathered · careworn · time-worn · venerable · hoary · gnarled
Hecate
Greek goddess of sorcery
underworld · crossroads · moon · waning · winter · transformation · rebirth · destroyer · menopause · sacred feminine
- Triple Goddessesthe Fates, Erinyes, Hecate, Clotho, Brigid
- witchcraftwitch, spell, spellwork, witches, spells
- aging humorretirement jokes, senior moments, senior moment, over the hill, old timer
- fairy tale villainswicked stepmother, evil stepmother, witch, ogre, giant
- folklore figureswitch, fairy, trickster, hero, giant
- life stagesbaby, teenager, adult, childhood, adolescence
cronegoddess
Female sacred being
maiden · fairy godmother · good witch · nymph · mother