hags
Folklore's ugly witches
Hags is the plural of hag, an ugly old woman, especially one perceived as malicious or frightening.
The word carries strong negative connotations—calling someone a hag suggests they are not just aged but withered, bitter, or cruel.
In folklore, hags are often witches or supernatural beings who torment the living: The three hags stirred their cauldron.
The singular appears in compounds like old hag and haggard.
Wizened old woman
- beldamUgly old woman
- harridanIll-tempered older woman
- shrewIll-tempered woman, or insectivore
- termagantHarsh, quarrelsome woman
virago · battleaxe · gorgon · fury · harpy · medusa · villain · antagonist
Large metal cooking pot
- covenAssembly of witches
- hexMalevolent incantation
- curseInvoked harm through words
- spellArrange letters correctly
potion · incantation · broomstick · familiar · grimoire · spellbook · sabbath · toad
Practitioner of dark arts
- croneWizened old woman
- enchantressWoman who uses sorcery
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
- beldameElderly woman, often ugly
wisewoman · fairy-tale · fable · legend · lore · saga · folklore · storytelling
Practice of dark magic
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- divinationForetelling through mystical means
occult · mysticism · shapeshifting · evil-eye · bewitchment · malevolence · specter · apparition
crone
Wizened old woman
termagant · virago · battleaxe · gorgon · fury · harpy · medusa · villain · antagonist · fearsome
cauldron
Large metal cooking pot
spell · potion · incantation · broomstick · familiar · grimoire · spellbook · sabbath · toad · newt
witch
Practitioner of dark arts
- croneWizened old woman
- enchantressWoman who uses sorcery
- sorceressFemale practitioner of magic
beldame · wisewoman · fairy-tale · fable · legend · lore · saga · folklore · storytelling · fantasy
sorcery
Practice of dark magic
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
divination · occult · mysticism · shapeshifting · evil-eye · bewitchment · malevolence · specter · apparition · omen
hagsfairy godmothers
Supernatural benefactors granting wishes
fairies · angels · white witches · guardian spirits · enchantresses
hagsbeauties
Exceptionally attractive ones
goddesses · queens · princesses · sweethearts · darlings
- old hagUgly elderly woman
- night hagDream-crushing evil spirit
- sea hagOceanic folklore monster
- fag hagWoman befriending gay men
- Merle HaggardOkie from Muskogee