ragana

• IPA^(key): /ɾaɡaʔˈnaʔ/ [ɾa.ɡaʔˈn̪aʔ]
• Hyphenation: ra‧ga‧na

ragànâ (Basahan spelling ᜍᜄᜈ)

1. choppy, discontinuous, intermittent

   Synonym: sige-sige

Cognate with Lithuanian rãgana; see there for more.

ragana f (4th declension)

1. witch
2. hex

Cognate with Latvian ragana (“witch”).

• One hypothesis links these terms to regė́ti (“to see”), Latvian redzêt (“to see”). Semantic analogies include Proto-Slavic *vědьma (“witch”) from Proto-Slavic *věděti (“to know, foresee”), Latvian pareģis (“clairvoyant”) from Latvian paredzêt (“to foresee”).
• The other main hypothesis connects this to rãgas (“horn”), Latvian rags (“horn”). According to this theory, along with ragius (“devil”) and Latvian ragans (“sorcerer; devil”), these mythical figures were thought to have horns. This association extends to Slavic, e.g. Serbo-Croatian babaroga / Serbo-Croatian Baba Roga (“witch, Baba Yaga”) from bȁba (“old woman”) + rȏg (“horn”).

rãgana f (plural rãganos) stress pattern 1

1. witch (wicked sorceress)

   Hypernyms: burtininkė (“sorceress”), kerėtoja (“enchantress”)

2. (figuratively) unpleasant woman

• raganius (“evil sorcerer”)

• “ragana”, in Lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of the Lithuanian language], lkz.lt, 1941–2025
• “ragana”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012
• Witches in Baltic Fairy Tales, Bernd Gliwa (2003)