necromantic
rəˌmæn noun
1.
a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.
2.
magic in general, especially that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.
Origin:
1250–1300; necro- + -mancy; replacing Middle English nigromancie < Medieval Latin nigromantīa for Late Latin necromantīa < Greek nekromanteía; by folk etymology nigro- (combining form of Latin niger black) was substituted in ML for original necro-
1250–1300; necro- + -mancy; replacing Middle English nigromancie < Medieval Latin nigromantīa for Late Latin necromantīa < Greek nekromanteía; by folk etymology nigro- (combining form of Latin niger black) was substituted in ML for original necro-
Related forms
nec·ro·man·cer, noun
nec·ro·man·tic; Obsolete, nec·ro·man·ti·cal, adjective
nec·ro·man·ti·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To necromantic
00:10
Necromantic
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
necromancy (ˈnɛkrəʊˌmænsɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead, esp in order to obtain from them knowledge of the future |
| 2. | black magic; sorcery |
| [C13: (as in sense 1) ultimately from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros corpse; (as in sense 2) from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin niger black, which replaced necro- through folk etymology] | |
| 'necromancer | |
| —n | |
| necro'mantic | |
| —adj | |
| necromancy (ˈnɛkrəʊˌmænsɪ) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead, esp in order to obtain from them knowledge of the future |
| 2. | black magic; sorcery |
| [C13: (as in sense 1) ultimately from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros corpse; (as in sense 2) from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin niger black, which replaced necro- through folk etymology] | |
| 'necromancer | |
| —n | |
| necro'mantic | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
necromancy
c.1300, "divination by communication with the dead," from O.Fr. nygromancie, from M.L. nigromantia (1212), from L. necromantia "divination from an exhumed corpse," from Gk. nekromanteia, from nekros "dead body" (see necro-) + manteia "divination, oracle," from manteuesthai
"to prophesy," from mantis "prophet" (see mania). Spelling infl. in M.L. by niger "black," on notion of "black arts." Modern spelling is c.1550 from attempts to correct M.E. nygromauncy.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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