necromancy
/ˈnɛkrə(ʊ)mansi
/noun [mass noun]
1The supposed practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to predict the future: alchemy, necromancy, and other magic practices...
- Because necromancy has been practiced in many cultures, it includes a variety of techniques.
- Some theurgical workings will incorporate elements of thaumaturgy, and divination may include necromancy while today's alchemist may bring in elements of all the other forms.
- I tried explaining why she shouldn't talk about or practice necromancy.
1.1Witchcraft, sorcery, or black magic in general.There is the obvious addition of the black magics that come with allowing necromancy into your blood; this magic varies from necromancer to necromancer, but most have a few magical traits in common....
- But this magic has a tendency to turn to necromancy when computers break down.
- The so-called science of poll-taking is not a science at all, but mere necromancy.
Derivatives
necromantic
/ adjective ...- Using your necromantic magic, you are in eternal youth, and as such, you can't die of age.
- The more you use the magic you have, necromantic or not, the faster it will kill you.
- The great renaissance magi strenuously disavowed necromantic practices, but most scholars suspect the magi owed a good deal more to the tradition than they admitted.
Origin
Middle English nigromancie, via Old French from medieval Latin nigromantia, changed (by association with Latin niger, nigr- 'black') from late Latin necromantia, from Greek (see necro-, -mancy). The spelling was changed in the 16th century to conform with the late Latin form.
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