different types of divination

[johnsemlak]

I'm trying to compile a list of all words for different types of divination or telling the future, or related words.:

e.g.

augury
palm reading
omens
clairvoyance
clairaudience
tarot cards
fortunetelling
soothsayer
seer



What's the word for reading the future based on bird movements. I think it starts with avi-something.

Any other methods of telling the future, or other related words?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

usually, any word that ends with "-mancy" is probably a method of predicting the future (since "-mancy" means "prophecy")...

Oneiromancy (dreams)
Hydromancy (water currents?)

and... http://gothlupin.tripod.com/d.html#dactylomancy

Divination - the art of predicting the future, looking into the past, and even finding lost objects, has existed in some variation in every culture since the dawn of recorded history -- and before.

Aeromancy - a system of divination where the weather is the forecaster. Anything to do with weather, such as halos around the sun or moon, thunder and/or lightning, wind direction and strength, cloud shapes, etc, were interpreted as omens to reveal the future. This is one of the oldest forms of divination, practiced by the priests of Babylonia, for instance.
Alectromancy - a rooster was the active agent in alectromancy (alektor is rooster in Greek). The letters of the alphabet were written in a large circle, and grains of wheat were placed on the letters. Then the rooster was freed to peck at the food. The literal "pecking order" of the rooster spelled out the message, but if the words made no sense, a diviner had to interpret the message. The grains were replaced as soon as they were eaten so that any letter could be repeated, if necessary.
Alomancy - salt might be considered common now, but in many parts of the world, it was once held to have magical properties. This form of divination required a handful of salt to be tossed onto a surface. The resulting pattern would be interpreted.
Apantomancy - a chance encounter with an animal was once considered an omen. Interpretations of similar encounters vary; a famous example is that of the black cat crossing one's path: Americans generally consider it an ill omen while the British can think it's a lucky happening.
Arithmancy - also called numerology, arithmancy (from the Greek arithmo, meaning "number," and mancy, meaning "prophecy"), is based on foretelling the future by using names and numbers. This practice is over two thousand years old, and its rules are specific, employing mathematical calculations as part of the formula of this practice.
Astragalomancy - from astragalos, a Greek word refering to the knucklebone or vertebra of an animal, from which dice were originally made. This is divination by throwing dice, dating back to ancient Egypt.
Astrology: see Astrology
Augury - a promising portent of the future, and the general art of divination, applying to several kinds of it, but relating mostly to fortune-casting based on signs and omens related to the appearance and behavior of animals (known as Zoomancy).
Belomancy - interpreting the flight of arrows
Bibliomancy - a question is asked, a book opened randomly, and with eyes closed, the diviner points out a spot on the page. The sentence or paragraph were the finger rests is the answer, or a comment about the question.
Catoptromancy - divining the future by looking into a mirror
Ceromancy - an ancient practice of slowly pouring wax melted in a brass bowl into another bowl filled with cold water. The congealed shapes were then interpreted by the seer.
Chiromancy - reading the lines of the hand, or Palmistry
A form of Christmas divination originated in Russia, performed at the time of the winter solstice. In a dark room, two lit candles and a pair of mirrors are positioned so that one reflects candlelight into another. The seeker, typically a girl, would look at the seventh reflection in order to catch sight of her future.
Crystal Ball - gazing into a polished crystal ball in an attempt to see the future, a method originating in the Middle Ages.
Crystalomancy - gazing into natural or polished crystal in an attempt to see the future.
Dactylomancy - the swinging of a suspended ring
Daphnomancy - the crackling sounds of burning laurel
Fire Omens - interpreting what one sees in fire
Geloscopy - divining futures from laughter
Geomancy - a handful of loose dirt is cupped between the hands and tossed to the ground. Its patterns are then interpreted. A later form, called paper geomancy, has the diviner ask a question and, with eyes closed, tap the point of a pencil onto a sheet of paper, making several random marks until he feels like stopping. The resulting patterns are interpreted.
Haruspication - the inspection of animal entrails
Hepatoscopy - examining the entrails of sacrificed animals, especially the liver
Horoscope: see Horoscope
Hydromancy - water was important in many forms of divination. In one method, practiced in ancient Greece, three stones were dropped one at a time into a pool of still water. The first was round, the second triangular, and the third stone square. The patterns of concentric ripples were studied for images or reflections to interpret.
Lampadomancy - a lamp flame was the tool for this type of divination
Libranomancy - the study of incense smoke
Lithomancy - gemstones could predict the future
Margaritomancy - pearls
Metoposcopy - forehead wrinkles
Myomancy - divination using the appearance, color and sounds of mice.
Oinomancy - practiced by ancient Romans, this was the interpretation of sediment left in the bottom of a wine cup.
Oneiromancy - divination by dreams. The Greek word oneiros means "dream" plus mancy means "prophecy". See Dreams
Ornithomancy - the study of the activity of birds
Ouija - a board with the alphabet on it, used with a planchette to spell out supernatural messages
Padomancy - a system widely used in ancient China, reading the soles of the feet rather than the palms of the hands.
Palmistry - reading the palms, also called Chiromancy (from the Greek cheiro, meaning "hand" and mancy, meaning "prophecy"). This form of divination probably originated in India at least 5000 years ago. Not only is it fortune-telling, but character analysis as well, based on the lines of the palms, and also the size, shape and texture of the hands. Most palm readers study both hands: the left reveals inherited characteristics; the right, choices laying ahead, along with possible victories and defeats in the future.
Phrenology - shape of the skull, with all its boney bumps and depressions, is used in this type of forecasting
Scrying - staring at a clear or reflective surface until images begin to form, either within the object or within the mind of the scryer
Tarot: see Tarot
Tasseomancy - reading tea leaves (Arabic tas, meaning "cup" and Greek mancy, meaning "prophecy"). This practice began in China, probably during the sixth century. Tea was unknown in the West until 1609, when Dutch traders imported it from the Orient.
Xylomancy - patterns made by fallen tree limbs, branches, twigs, or other pieces of wood on the ground were interpreted during biblical times.
Zoomancy - divination based on the appearance and/or behavior of animals.

You'll probably find many many more things with a little Google search

AR

 

[johnsemlak]

wow, thank you very much. Exactly what I wanted.

 

[johnsemlak]

What's the word for reading the future based on bird movements. I think it starts with avi-something.

So is Augury the word I'm thinking of that means divining the future from bird movements?

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

You can also check out THIS site: http://www.fargoth.com/downloads/divination_glossary.html

"Orinithomancy" would be the correct term to predict the future by observing the flight pattern of birds.

AR

abodement
An omen; a foretelling.
acultomancy
Divination using needles.
aeromancy
Divination from the air, sky and weather, particularly concentrating on cloud shapes, comets, and other phenomena not normally visible in the heavens.
ailuromancy
Divination by watching cats’ movements.
alectormancy
Divination by sacrificing a rooster.
alectryomancy
Divination whereby a rooster is allowed to pick corn grains from a circle of letters. A variation is to recite letters of the alphabet noting those at which a crows.
aleuromancy
Divination using "fortune cookies"; answers to questions are rolled into balls of dough and once baked are chosen at random; divination using flour or meal.
alomancy or halomancy
Divination by table salt.
alphitomancy
Divination using loaves of barley or special cakes that are digestible by persons with a clear conscience but are unpleasant to others.
alveromancy
Divination using sounds.
ambulomancy
Divination by taking a walk.
amniomancy
Divination by examining placentas.
anagogy
Mystical interpretation.
anthomancy
Divination using flowers.
anthracomancy
Divination using burning coals.
anthropomancy
Divination by sacrificing humans to observe their entrails.
apantomancy
Divination through chance meetings with animals (e.g., a black cat), birds, and other creatures or divination using objects at hand.
apotelesm
The casting of a horoscope.
ariolation
Divination in general.
arithmancy or arithmomancy
A form of numerology where divination is made through numbers and the number value of letters.
armomancy
Divination by examining one’s shoulders.
aspidomancy
Divination by sitting and chanting within a circle.
astragalomancy or astragyromancy
A form of divination by dice or knucklebones where the faces of the dice bear numbers and letters.
astrology
Divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars.
astromancy
Divination using stars.
augury
The general term for the art of divination and is chiefly applied to interpretations of signs and omens.
austromancy
Divination by the study of the winds.
axinomancy
Divination through the observation of how an ax or hatchet quivers or points when driven into post.
batraquomancy
Divination using frogs.
belomancy
Divination performed by tossing or balancing arrows.
bibliomany
Divination by opening a book at random.
bodachomancy
Divination by sacrificing goblins, orcs or trolls to observe their entrails.
bodement
A prediction or prophecy.
botanomancy
Divination from burning tree branches, leaves, and plants or from the chance combinations made by the wind upon leaves of trees on which words and questions had been written.
brontomancy
Divination using thunder.
bumpology
A popular nickname for phrenology.
capnomancy
The study of smoke rising from a fire.
cartomancy
Fortune telling using cards, such as the Tarot.
catoptromancy
A form of crystal gazing that utilizes a mirror placed underwater and turned to the moon to catch moonbeams.
causimancy or causimomancy
Divination from the behavior of objects placed in a fire.
ceneromancy
Divination using ashes.
cephalomancy
Divination with the skull or head of a donkey or goat.
cephalonomancy
Divination by boiling the head of an ass.
ceraunomancy and ceraunoscopy or keraunoscopy
Drawing omens from the study of thunder and lightning.
ceromancy or ceroscopy
A form of fortune telling in which melted was wax is poured into cold water.
chaomandy
Divination by examining phenomena of the air.
chirognomy
The study of the general hand formation.
chiromancy
Divination from the lines on people's hands.
chronomancy
Divination by means of time.
clairaudience
The "clear hearing" of divinatory information. Generally regarded as a form of extrasensory perception.
clairvoyance
The "clear seeing" of divinatory information. Generally regarded as a form of extrasensory perception.
cleidomancy or clidomancy
Divination using a dangling key.
cleromancy
Divination by "casting lots", similar to dice but with objects such as pebbles or sea shells.
conchomancy
Divination using shells.
coscinomancy
Divination using a hanging sieve and shears.
crithomancy
Divination by strewing meal over sacrifices.
critomancy
The study of viands and barley cakes.
cromniomancy or cromnyomancy
Divination using onion sprouts.
crystallomancy
Divination through crystal, beryl or other clear object gazing.
crystalomancy
Divination using a crystal globe, or ball.
cyclomancy
The practice of divination from a turning wheel.
dactyliomancy
Divination by means of a finger.
dactylomancy
A form of radiesthesia using a dangling ring.
daphnomancy
Divination by listening to laurel branches crackling in an open fire.
demonomancy
Divination with the aid of demons.
dendromancy
Divination with either oak or mistletoe.
divination
The art of obtaining the knowledge of unknown things of the past, present, or future by supernatural revelation. A broad distinction may be made between artificial divination by haruspication, astrology, lots, the interpretation of prodigies, lightning, augury, and the like; and natural divination, by dreams and prophetic oracles, considered as the direct revelation of the divine will, or an inward intuition flashed with irresistible conviction.
dowsing
Divination where a forked stick or divining rods are used to locate water or precious minerals.
draconomany
Divination through observing the appearance or actions of a dragon.
dririmancy
Divination by observing dripping blood.
enoptromancy
Divination using mirrors.
eromancy
Divination using water vessels.
extispicy
Divination using entrails.
fatidical
Prophetic; having the power to foretell the future.
foretoken
An omen; a prediction; to predict.
gastromancy
A form of ventriloquism whereby the voice is lowered to a sepulchral tone and prophetic utterances are delivered in a trance state.
geloscopy
Divination from the tone of someone's laughter.
genethlialogy
Divination by the influence of the stars at birth, or the art of casting horoscopes.
geomancy
Divination by casting earth onto a surface or the study of figures on the ground and the influence of the Earth's currents.
grafology
Divination by studying writing.
graphology
The analysis of a person's character through handwriting.
graptomancy
Divination by studying handwriting.
gyromancy
A divination procedure where a person walks in a circle marked with letters until they become dizzy and stumble at different points, thus spelling out a prophesy.
hariolate
To divine; to foretell.
haruspication
Fortune telling by means of inspecting the entrails of animals.
haruspices
Soothsayers or diviners who foretell future events from the inspection of the entrails of animals offered in sacrifice. They also take indications from earthquakes, lightning, and other extraordinary phenomena of nature called portenta.
hematomancy
Divination using blood.
hepatoscopy
Divination by examining animal livers.
hieromancy or hierscopy
Divination by observing objects offered in sacrifice.
hippomancy
A form of divination from the stamping and neighing of horses.
horoscopy
The practice of casting of astrological horoscopes.
hydromancy
Divination by water including the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool.
hypnomancy
Divination using sleep or hypnosis.
ichnomancy
Divination using footprints.
ichthyomancy
Divination using fish or fish entrails.
iconomancy
Divination using icons.
idolomancy
Divination using idols.
kephalonomancy
Divination using a baked ass’s head.
knissomancy
Divination using burning incense.
kottabos
Discovering fortune in love by the particular splash made by wine thrown out of a cup into a metal basin.
lampadomancy
Divination using flame, lights or torches.
lecanomancy
Uses a basin or pool of water for divination.
libanomancy
The study of incense and its smoke.
lithomancy
Divination using precious stones of various colors, or meteorites.
logomancy
Divination using words.
macromancy
Divination using large objects.
maculomancy
Divination using spots.
mantic
Relating to divination; prophetic; divinely inspired.
mantology
Fortune-telling.
margaritomancy
The procedure of divination using bouncing pearls.
mathemancy
Divination by counting.
meconomancy
Divination using sleep.
metagnomy
Divination using visions received in a trance state.
meteoromancy
Divination by studying meteors.
metopomancy
Divination using the forehead or face.
metoposcopy
The reading of someone's character using the lines in their forehead.
micromancy
Divination using small objects.
moleosophy
The study of moles as indicators of a person's character and future indications.
molybdomancy
Draws mystic inferences from the hissing of molten lead.
myomancy
The study of the prophetic meaning in the behavior of rats and mice.
nanomancy
Divination by observing or consulting with dwarves.
narcomancy
Divination using sleep.
necromancy
The practice of communicating with the spirits of the dead in order to predict the future.
necyomancy
Divination by summoning Satan.
nemophilomancy
Divination by sacrificing elves to observe their entrails.
nomancy
Divination by examining letters of name.
numerology
The divinatory interpretation of numbers, dates, and the number value of letters.
oculomancy
Divination from a person's eye.
odontomancy
Divination using teeth.
oenomancy
Divination by studying the appearance of wine.
oinomancy
Divination using wine.
ololygmancy
Fortune-telling by the howling of dogs.
omen
A phenomenon regarded as a portent of future good or evil.
omoplatoscopy
Divination by observing cracks in burning scapulae.
omphalomancy
Counting the number of knots in the umbilical cord to predict how many more children the mother will have.
oneiromancy
The interpretation of dreams and their prophetic nature.
onomancy
The study of the meaning of proper names; divination using a donkey or ass.
onomantics
The application of onomancy applied to personal names, particularly in the sense of occult interpretation.
onychomancy
Divination through the study of fingernails.
oomancy and ooscopy
Methods of divination using eggs.
ophidiomancy
Divination using snakes.
ophiomancy
Divination by watching serpents.
oracle
A means of revealing the will of the gods concerning specific human problems.
orinithomancy
Divination by observing the flight of birds.
orniscopy
The study of omens associated with birds.
orophilomancy
Divination by sacrificing dwarves to observe their entrails.
oryctomancy
Divination using excavated objects.
ossomancy and osteomancy
Divination using bones.
ouranomancy
Divination using the heavens.
ovomancy
A type of egg divination.
palmistry
The broad field of divination and interpretation of the lines and structure of the hand.
pegomancy
Concerns itself with spring water and bubbling fountains and the omens contained therein.
pessomancy
Divination using pebbles.
phrenology
The practiced study of head formations, especially in relation to determining one's character.
phyllomancy
Divination using leaves or tea leaves.
phyllorhodomancy
A means of divination whereby one slaps a rose petal against the hand and judges the favorability of the omen by the loudness of the sound.
physiognomancy
Divination by studying the face.
physiognomy
The study of character analysis through physical features.
precognition
An inner knowledge or sense of future events.
prevoyant
Having foresight.
prognostication
Predicting future events from current indications.
prophecy
The inspired written or spoken utterance of a prophet, viewed as a declaration of divine will.
prophesy
To predict by divine inspiration.
psephomancy
Divination by drawing lots or markers at random.
psychography
A form of mysterious writing having a divinatory nature.
psychomancy
Divination by means of spirits.
psychometry
The faculty of gaining impressions from a physical object and its history.
pyromancy and pyroscopy
Forms of divination by fire or flame, often assisted by substances thrown onto the flames.
radiesthesia
The general term for divination using a device such as a divining rod or pendulum. Other forms include table tipping, the Ouija board, automatic writing (or superconscious writing), and scrying.
retromancy
Divination by looking over one’s shoulder.
rhabdomancy
Divination using a stick or wand. These methods were forerunners of the divining rod.
rhapsodomancy
A means of divination using a book of poetry whereby the book is opened at random and a passage read.
scapulomancy
The method of divining by the cracks and lines made in a shoulder blade placed in a fire.
scatomancy
Divination by studying excrement.
schematomancy
Divination using the human form.
sciomancy
Divination using ghosts or a spirit guide, a method generally employed by channelers.
scrying
A general term for divination using a crystal, mirrors, bowls of water, ink, or flames to induce visions.
selenomancy
Divination by studying the moon.
sideromancy
The burning of straws with a hot iron, the resulting figures having divinatory properties.
soothsaying
The art or practice of foretelling events or predicting the future.
sortilege
The casting of lots with prayer and the assessment of omens indicated.
spasmatomancy
Divination by twitching or convulsions of the body.
spelophilomancy
Divination by sacrificing gnomes to observe their entrails.
spheromancy
Divination using a crystal ball.
spodomancy
Divination using ashes, cinders or soot.
stercomancy
Fortune-telling by studying seeds in dung.
stichomancy
A form of throwing open a book and selecting a random passage for the purpose of divination.
stolisomancy
Draws omens from the way people dress.
sycomancy
Performed by writing messages on fig leaves; the slower they dry, the more favorable the omen. A variation is to write on slips of paper (always including one blank) and rolling them up. They are then held in a strainer over a boiling pot; the first to unroll will be answered.
tasseography
The reading of tea leaves that remain in a tea cup once the beverage has been drunk.
tephramancy or tephromancy
Divination by ashes obtained from the burning of tree bark.
thalassomancy
Divination using the tides or seawater.
theomancy
Divination by means of oracles.
theromancy
Divination through the study of wild mammals.
thrioboly
Divination using pebbles.
tiromancy or tyromancy
Divination using cheese.
topomancy
Divination using landforms.
trochomancy
Divination by studying wheel tracks.
uranomancy
Divination by studying the heavens.
urimancy
Divination by observing urine.
vatic
Prophetic; oracular; inspired.
vaticination
The act of prophesying or an actual prediction or prophesy.
xenomancy
Divination using strangers.
xylomancy
Divination from pieces of wood, either from their shape when collected or their appearance while burning.
zoomancy
Divination by observing animals.

 

[johnsemlak]

Thanks once more. Wonderful find. As I'm playing a diviner right now, I'll find those links very useful.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

No problem.

Altamont Ravenard was also a Wizard (Diviner) headed for Loremaster, but his life was cut exceptionally short... He had some ranks in numerology, but never really had a chance to use them.

His name shall live on through another character another time in another campaign, because I find that Altamont Ravenard is a freakishly cool name

(for thos who might be interested, its a derivation of a name of a song by Tricky Woo called "Altamont Raven". Tricky Woo is a very good rock / garage band from Montreal)

AR