necromancy

nec·ro·man·cy

noun \ˈne-krə-ˌman(t)-sē\

Definition of NECROMANCY

1

: conjuration of the spirits of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events

2

: magic, sorcery

— nec·ro·man·cer \-sər\ noun

— nec·ro·man·tic \ˌne-krə-ˈman-tik\ adjective

— nec·ro·man·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of NECROMANCY

1. The town accused her of witchcraft and necromancy.
2. <in the conjuring of the souls of the dead, necromancy seemed to offer human beings a means of exerting some control over an uncertain world>

Origin of NECROMANCY

alteration of Middle English nigromancie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin nigromantia, by folk etymology from Late Latin necromantia, from Late Greek nekromanteia, from Greek nekr- + -manteia -mancy

First Known Use: 1522

Related to NECROMANCY

Synonyms: bewitchery, bewitchment, conjuring, devilry (or deviltry), diablerie, enchantment, ensorcellment, mojo, magic, sorcery, thaumaturgy, voodooism, witchcraft, witchery, wizardry

Related Words: abracadabra, amulet, charm, fetish (also fetich), mascot, periapt, phylactery, talisman; conjuration, glamour (also glamor), incantation, spell; curse, hex, jinx; augury, crystal gazing, divination, divining, forecasting, foreknowing, foreseeing, foretelling, fortune-telling, predicting, presaging, prognosticating, prophesying, soothsaying, sortilege; hexerei, hoodoo, occultism, spiritualism; augur, omen; exorcism; alchemy

Near Antonyms: science

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Other Occult Terms

augury, censor, invocation, lucidity, metempsychosis, mojo, numinous, preternatural, weird, wraith