necromancy

• necyomancy, egromancy

Circa 1300, from Old French nigromancie, from Medieval Latin nigromantia, from Latin necromantia, from Ancient Greek νεκρομαντεία (nekromanteía), νεκρός (nekrós, “dead”) + μαντεία (manteía, “divination”). Medieval Latin spelling, incorporating niger (black), influenced by the notion of black art. Modern spelling adopted in mid-1500s.

• enPR: nĕkʹ-rə-măn'-si, IPA^(key): /ˈnɛkɹəˌmænsi/

necromancy (countable and uncountable, plural necromancies)

1. Divination involving the dead or death.
   • 1597 King James Daemonologie

     And for to make this treatise the more pleasaunt and facill, I have put it in forme of a Dialogue, which I have diuided into three bookes: The first speaking of Magie in general, and Necromancie in special.

   • 1652 Gaule The Magastromancer

     And in one word for all, Nagomancy, or Necromancy; by inspecting, consulting, and divining by, with, or from the dead.

   • 1867 E. Rogers, quoted in K. Thomas Relig. & Decline of Magic

     the Devil did often tempt me to study necromancy and nigromancy and to make use of magic, and to make a league with him...

   • 1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult

     There is no doubt..that necromancy is the touch-stone of occultism...

2. Loosely, any sorcery or witchcraft, especially involving death or the dead, particularly sorcery involving raising or reanimating the dead.
3. (Internet) Synonym of necroposting

• thread necromancy