Showing posts with label Necromancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Necromancy. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

A to Z Challenge 2013: N - Necromancy

Necromancy

nec·ro·man·cy [nekrəˌmansē] n. The practice of supposedly communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future.

Synonyms: none

Etymology: c.1300, nygromauncy, "divination by communication with the dead," from Old French nigromancie "magic, necromancy, witchcraft, sorcery," from Medieval Latin nigromantia (13c.), from Latin necromantia "divination from an exhumed corpse," from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros "dead body" (see necro-) + manteia "divination, oracle," from manteuesthai "to prophesy," from mantis "prophet" (see mania). Spelling influenced in Medieval Latin by niger "black," on notion of "black arts." Modern spelling is a mid-16c. correction. Related: Necromantic.