-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.
oenomancy (ee nuh MAN see) (s) (noun), oenomancies (pl)
Divination or fortune-telling by observing and analyzing patterns made by wine: A few ways to analyze fermented grape juice for oenomancy include:
  • Wine that is spilled on cloth or paper and the resulting stains are studied.
  • Observing the sediment in the bottom of a glass or bottle of wine.
  • The examination of the physical characteristics (color, taste, etc.) of wine.
ololygmancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by interpreting the howling of dogs: Because the night was clear and the moon was shining brightly, all the dogs in town were barking and yelping loudly. The diviner's thought that it was a perfect time to have the help of ololygmancy to prophecy their future lives.
omphalomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by the usage of the navel: Omphalomancy involves the number of knots in the navel-string of the umbilical cord of a mother's first child to predict the number of children she might have.
oneiromancy (s) (noun), oneiromancies (pl)
Divination or fortune-telling by interpreting a person's dreams: Madeline went to see a clairvoyant to find out what the soothsayer would have to say and the results of the oneiromancy was that she would marry a handsome foreigner, however this could not be true because she was already married.
An art claiming to reveal the future of someone's dreams.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

onimancy, onymancy, onyomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination of fingernails: Onyomancy is the fortune-telling using the reflection of bright sunlight on a person’s fingernails and noting any symbols (real or imaginary) that might appear there.

Onymancy is a method of future predictions by observing fingernails or olive oil on the fingernails of an “unpolluted boy” or a young female virgin.

These symbols are interpreted in accordance with established rules, as with crystal gazing or teacup reading.

onomancy, onomomancy (s) (noun) (bo pl)
Divination or fortune-telling with names: Onomancy is a system of prophecy using proper names based on a subject's given name, and was popular in the Late Middle Ages.
onomantical (adjective) (not comparable)
Concerning the divination using names; nomancy: John read about an onomantical method of prophesying someone's future life by the letters of a name.
onomatomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by interpreting the letters of a name: Onomatomancy uses the number of vowels (even/odd) in a name, or the total number of letters, or the sum of the numerical values of the letters.
onychomancy, onycomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
An ancient type of fortune-telling whereby a person’s future is determined by the appearance of the fingernails themselves: Jeanette learned about onychomancy that prophesied the future by interpreting the symbols reflected by sunlight on an individual's fingernails.

This has become an aspect of cheiromancy.

oomancy, ovomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination with eggs: Some methods of oomancy date back to antiquity.

One modern method consists of dropping whites of eggs into water and noting the shapes or markings thus obtained.

The custom of coloring eggs, so popular today, also stems from ancient traditions.

ophidiomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by using snakes: In the article David was reading, certain snakes were used in ophidiomancy, and their appearance, size, and movements were interpreted for telling the future of a person.
ophiomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
The recognition of serpents as agents of divination or fortune-telling: Ophiomancy uses the methods of observing their manner of how serpents eat, or by their coils.

The first incident of ophiomancy is mentioned in the Garden of Eden and has been known to be utilized in Egypt, Greece, Rome, and among the Aztecs of Mexico.

ophthalmomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by observing the eyes: Lisa was impressed with the art of ophthalmomancy which could interpret the reflections and colors of her daughter's eyes and provide information about her character.
ornithomancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by means of birds: Ornithomancy included birds' flights and songs, however any action of the bird could have been interpreted as a method of foreseeing or foretelling, or could have been interpreted as a message from the gods.

oromancy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Divination by observing mountain: Jenifer loved the mountains and hills, and wanted to try out oromancy and scrutinize and interpret their shapes, sizes, and ages to determine her near future.

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-.