In Slavic mythology, a vedmak (Belarusian: вядзьмак, вядзьмар;[1] Bulgarian: вещер [ˈvɛʃtɛr] ⓘ; Croatian: vještac; Czech: vědmák; Macedonian: вештер [ˈvɛʃtɛr]; Polish: wiedźmak; Russian: ведьмак [vʲɪdʲˈmak] ⓘ; Serbian: вештац;[2] Ukrainian: відьмак [ʋʲidʲˈmak] ⓘ[3]) is a warlock or male witch, the female equivalent (witch) being vedma,[4] but unlike the latter, the vedmak may also possess positive qualities.
This role greatly focuses on the Shamanic aspects of Slavic Paganism.
[6] On the other hand, they are thought to be people connected to the devil, and are capable of bringing harm by sending illnesses, killing cattle, spoiling a harvest, etc.
[7] Vedmak stems from Proto-Slavic *vědět ("to know") and Old East Slavic вѣдь ("knowledge; witchcraft", compare the use of the term "cunning" in English folklore).
The word used for "witcher" in the original Polish version of the novels, "wiedźmin", was coined by Sapkowski himself as a neologism, while the word "wiedźmak" (cognate of "vedmak") is used in the books only as a derogatory term for witchers.