A sorceress is a woman who does magic — the old, dangerous kind you meet in stories: potions, spells, curses, turning people into animals. The word almost always carries the idea that her power comes from somewhere dark, and that she got it by making a deal she should not have made.

A sorceress is a woman who does magic是一個會施法術的女人 — the old, dangerous kind you meet in stories是故事裡那種古老又危險的魔法 potions, spells, curses, turning people into animals像是藥水、咒語、詛咒，還有把人變成動物。The word almost always carries the idea that her power comes from somewhere dark這個字幾乎都帶著一個意思：她的力量來自某個陰暗的地方 and that she got it by making a deal she should not have made而且是靠一筆她不該做的交易得來的。

That is the difference between a sorceress and a fairy godmother, who is kind, or a witch, who in modern English can just be a woman who practises a religion.

That is the difference between a sorceress and a fairy godmother這就是sorceress跟fairy godmother的差別 who is kindfairy godmother是善良的 or a witch或是跟witch的差別 who in modern English can just be a woman who practises a religionwitch在現代英文裡可以只是指信奉某種宗教的女性。

A sorceress is a story word first. You will meet it in fairy tales, fantasy novels, and games far more often than in real conversation.

A sorceress is a story word firstsorceress首先是一個故事裡的字。You will meet it in fairy tales, fantasy novels, and games far more often than in real conversation你會在童話、奇幻小說和遊戲裡遇到它的機會，遠比在真實對話裡多得多。

When people do use it about a real woman, they are joking or exaggerating — "she's a sorceress in the kitchen" means she makes food so good it seems like magic. It sounds old and slightly grand; nobody calls themselves a sorceress with a straight face.

When people do use it about a real woman當大家真的拿它來形容一個真實的女性時 they are joking or exaggerating多半是在開玩笑或誇張一下 — "she's a sorceress in the kitchen" means she makes food so good it seems like magic像「she's a sorceress in the kitchen」，意思是她做的菜好吃到像變魔法一樣。It sounds old and slightly grand這個字聽起來古老又有點誇張 nobody calls themselves a sorceress with a straight face沒有人會一本正經地說自己是sorceress。

One more thing worth noticing: the -ess ending marks the woman. Fifty years ago English liked these endings; now many of them (actress, waitress) are quietly fading, because writers prefer one word for everybody. But sorceress has survived, because it lives inside stories, and stories keep old words alive.

One more thing worth noticing還有一件值得注意的事 the -ess ending marks the woman字尾-ess標示出這是女性。Fifty years ago English liked these endings五十年前英文很喜歡這種字尾 now many of them (actress, waitress) are quietly fading現在很多這樣的字（像actress、waitress）正悄悄淡出 because writers prefer one word for everybody因為作者比較喜歡不分性別用同一個字。But sorceress has survived但sorceress留了下來 because it lives inside stories因為它活在故事裡 and stories keep old words alive而故事會讓舊字繼續活著。