-mancy, -mancer, -mantic, -mantical +
(Greek: used as a suffix; divination, prophecy, fortune telling; to interpret signs so “practical” decisions can be made [related to -mania])
It isn't so much the things we don't know that gets us into trouble. It's the things we know that aren't so.
—Artemus Ward (1834-1867)
If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good
chance of being a prophet.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991),
Polish-born American journalist, writer.
sycomancy
Divination by means of figs or fig-leaves.
tasseomancy
Divination by interpreting the sediment of the tea leaves or coffee grounds that were left after the liquid was been poured off or consumed.
tephromancy, tephramancy
Divination by examining the ashes from an altar that have been blown or thrown up into the air after consumation of the victims of a sacrifice. Related to spodomancy.
theomancy
1. A name given to that species of divination that was drawn from the responses of oracles; or from the predictions of sibyls and others supposed to be immediately inspired by some divinity.
2. Mysteries of a divine majesty sought the sacred names; the possessor of such a "science" knew the future, commanded nature, had full power over angels and demons, and could perform miracles; by the answers of divinely inspired oracles.
theriomancy, theriomancy
1. Fortunetelling by watching, or observing, wild animals.
2. Divination by observing wild animals and interpreting their behavior and movements.
tiromancy, tyromancy
Divination by watching cheese coagulate.
topomancy
Divination by observing the contour or shape of the land.
transataumancy
Divination by interpreting something seen or heard accidentally or unexpectedly.
Trifling mistakes were accepted as omens by the ancient Romans, and even today many people are apt to attribute their good fortune to chance occurrence or coincidence.
trochomancy
Divination by looking at wheel tracks.
uranomancy
Divination by observing the sky or natural phenomena in the sky.
urinomancy, urimancy, uromancy
Divination by interpreting the characteristics of urine or a medical prognosis based on the examination of urine to diagnose diseases.
xenomancy
Divination by observing the first stranger who appears.
xylomancy
Divination with small pieces of wood; interpreting the forms or appearance of fallen tree branches or other wood seen on the ground; also the positions of logs and the manner of their burning in a fire; for example, if one falls suddenly, a surprise is due.
ydromancy
Divination with water (obsolete form of hydromancy).
zoomancy
Divination with observations of animals or their movements under particular circumstances; imaginary animals that people claim to have seen; such as, a salamander playing around in a fire or a sea serpent riding ocean waves.
Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "divination, diviner; seer, soothsayer, prophecy, prophesy, prophet":
augur-;
auspic-;
fa-, fate;
Fates in action;
futur-;
omen;
-phemia;
sorc-, sorcery;
vati-.
A cross reference of other word family units that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "chance, luck, fate":
aleato-;
auspic-;
cad-;
fortu-;
serendipity;
sorc;
temer-;
tycho-.
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