necromancy
English
Alternative forms
- necyomancy, egromancy
Etymology
Circa 1300, from Old French nigromancie, from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin necromantia, from Ancient Greek νεκρομαντεία (nekromanteía), νεκρός (nekrós, “dead”) + μαντεία (manteía, “divination”). Medieval Latin spelling, incorporating niger (black), influenced by the notion of black art. Modern spelling adopted in mid-1500s.
Pronunciation
- enPR: nĕkʹ-rə-măn'-si, IPA(key): /ˈnɛkɹəˌmænsi/
Noun
necromancy (countable and uncountable, plural necromancies)
- Divination involving the dead or death.
- 1597 King James Daemonologie
- And for to make this treatise the more pleasaunt and facill, I have put it in forme of a Dialogue, which I have diuided into three bookes: The first speaking of Magie in general, and Necromancie in special.
- 1652 Gaule The Magastromancer
- And in one word for all, Nagomancy, or Necromancy; by inspecting, consulting, and divining by, with, or from the dead.
- 1867 E. Rogers, quoted in K. Thomas Relig. & Decline of Magic
- the Devil did often tempt me to study necromancy and nigromancy and to make use of magic, and to make a league with him...
- 1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult
- There is no doubt..that necromancy is the touch-stone of occultism...
- 1597 King James Daemonologie
- Loosely, any sorcery or witchcraft, especially involving death or the dead, particularly sorcery involving raising or reanimating the dead.
- (Internet) Synonym of necroposting
Derived terms
- thread necromancy
Translations
divination involving the dead
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