necromancy
/ˈnɛkɹəˌmænsi/ noun
Forms necromancies necyomancy egromancy
- noun Divination involving the dead or death.
- noun Loosely, any sorcery or witchcraft, especially involving death or the dead, particularly sorcery involving raising or reanimating the dead.
- noun (Internet) Synonym of necroposting.
Synonyms
Etymology
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The art of revealing future events by means of a pretended communication with the dead; the black art; hence, magic in general; conjuration; enchantment. See Black art. This palace standeth in the air, By necromancy placèd there. Drayton.
Etymology [OE. nigromaunce, nigromancie, OF. nigromance, F. nécromance, nécromancie, from L. necromantia, Gr. necare to kill, Skr. na() to perish, vanish) + mania. See Mania, and cf. Internecine, Noxious. The old spelling is due to confusion with L. niger black. Hence the name black art.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “necromancy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details