-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.
If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.
2. Divination and character analysis by interpreting facial lines and wrinkles; especially, of the forehead.
Derived from ancient Greek metopon, "the forehaead"; originally the space between the eyes.
2. Witchcraft or sorcery in general: During some periods of history, to be accused of necromancy resulted in some accused practitioners being executed.
Divination by communication with the dead by raising them back to “life” (not as ghosts); early Greeks were supposed to descend into Hades to consult the dead rather than summoning the dead into the mortal sphere again; more recently, it is claimed that ghosts or spirits are summoned to speak to the living.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
It is said to be similar to hypnotism in a primitive form.
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-.