What is the difference between a Warlock and a Wizard? I heard that Warlocks are evil Wizards but JK calls Perkins a warlock, and he doesn't seem evil, and i'm sure Dumbledore gets called a Warlock somewere in the books. D'you think it's just abother word for Wizard, if so i wish JK would stick to one word because i get confused!!!

I'm not sure what the difference is, but I'm assuming that a warlock is a wizard who deals with healing or medicine. It usually seems like that in other books.

Why does it matter? I think they are the same........

It doesn't matter but i'd like to know what it means!!!!! Don't comment if you think it doesn't matter!!!! Anyway, i've just looked Warlock up iin the dictionary and its defenition is

A Warlock is a male Witch


And for Wizard it says

A man with magic powers

So don't they basicallly mean the same thing, i think they do, so why can't JK stick to one word? Stupid people like me can get confused, lol.

You're not alone, I've always thought they meant the same thing..

I've been doing some Harry Potter research and I came across the same question. Why did JKR specifically use the word Warlock? Because we all know that it wasn't a mistake. During the persecution of the Druids the word warlock became synonymous with the black arts, or a sorcerer/conjurer. So, most assumed that warlock is a label that the Druids gave themselves. In reality you are branded a warlock by a counsel of your peers. According to Druid linguistics the word Warlock is considered a insult. In the Druid language the word warlock means traitor (in the worst possible meaning, almost like a curse word) or someone who has betrayed the their way of life and does not deserve to hold the title "wizard." According to many dictionaries the technical term means:
from Old English w[AE]rloga one that breaks faith, the Devil, from w[AE]r faith, troth + -loga (from lEogan to lie); akin to Old English w[AE]r LIE

I don't like to assume anything when it comes to JKR, but I believe that it is safe to say this guy isn't exactly a saint. Most likely he will betray someone if he hasn't already.

Yes, maybe he wasa a Death Eater who helped the Order like Snape, or it could be the oppsite, it's unlikely but it's possible.

I can't remember where I read this from, but one site referred to it as more as older wizards. As Perkins, Dumbledore, a pair of wizards marked as warlocks are all described as being elderly.

Perkins evil? I don't think so. Why would an ex-Death Eater be working in the muggle department?? They hate muggles. And if he was spying- Why? Arthur is the only other guy in the department. And until OoP he was like a nobody in the ministry. Just an aquaintance.

I'd go with Perkins and Dumbledore being old. Because, well, they are.

If warlock is a male witch, what is a female wizzard called?
JK Rowling should invent a word for that too like the word muggle.
I think wizzard is someone who is totally human with magical powers, and a warlock is something else that looks like a human with magical powers. From the movie Merlin, he is half human, I guest he's a wizzard then.

I always pictured warlocks looking sort of like a goblin/human cross-breed, but this is merely from my imagination. As far as I can tell warlocks are

1 : a man practicing the black arts: sorcerer;

2 : conjurer".

Whatever its hypothetical etymology, it is nowadays *not* used to indicate a traitor. And any who choose to self-identify as a warlock are saying nothing at all about their ability to keep oath. It is sometimes used described an honorable (old?) male sorcerer.