bruja

witch, sorceress (woman who practices witchcraft); specifically, a Wiccan; crone, hag (ugly, evil-looking, or frightening old woman); owl (bird of prey of the order Strigiformes); northern potoo (Nyctibius jamaicensis)

Uncertain. Possibly from Iberian/Celtiberian *bruxtia (compare Catalan bruixa, Portuguese bruxa, Occitan bruèissa), from Proto-Celtic *brixtā (“spell, magic”) (compare Old Irish bricht (“charm”), Old Breton brith (“magic”)). It could instead be akin to a different Celtic word such as Old Irish Brigit (literally “high, exalted”).