Wiktionary

necromancy

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Circa 1300, from Middle English nigromancye, 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. By surface analysis, necro- ‎ -mancy.

Pronunciation

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  • enPR: nĕkʹ-rə-măn'-si, IPA(key): /ˈnɛkɹəˌmænsi/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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necromancy (countable and uncountable, plural necromancies)

  1. Divination involving the dead or death.
    • 1597, King James Daemonologie, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
      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, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
      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...
  2. Loosely, any sorcery or witchcraft, especially involving death or the dead, particularly sorcery involving raising or reanimating the dead.
  3. (Internet) Synonym of necroposting

Derived terms

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Translations

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