geomancy

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Medieval Latin geomantia from late Ancient Greek γεωμαντεία (geōmanteía).

Noun

geomancy (usually uncountable, plural geomancies)

  1. A method of divination which interprets markings on the ground or how handfuls of dirt land when tossed.

Quotations
  • 1660 Urquhart tr. Rabelais Gargantua & Pantagruel iii. xxv.
    Hard by here, in the Brown-wheat-Island, dwelleth Her Trippa; you know how by the Arts of Astrology, Geomancy, Chiromancy, Metopomancy, and others of a like stuff and nature, he foretelleth all things to come...
  • 1868 Chambers's Encyc. III
    Geomancy (this was anciently practised by casting pebbles on the ground, from which conjectures were formed; but the Arabian geomancy was more recondite, being founded on the effects of motion under the crust of the earth, the chinks thus produced, and the noises or thunderings heard)...
  • 1970 Man, Myth & Magic v.
    Geomancy - by dots on paper, marks on the earth, or particles of earth.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Noun

geomancy (uncountable)

  1. geomancy
    • 1425 Mandev. (Eg) 115/9
      At a syde of pe emperour table sittez many philosophers and grete clerkez of diuerse sciencez, sum of astronomy, sum of nigromancy, sum of geomancy, sum of pyromancy, sum of ydromancy.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.