Cleidomancy
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Divination by using a hanging key as a pendulum. A form of radiesthesia. uncountable
"Cleidomancy was performed with a key suspended from a thread from the nail of a young virgin's third finger, this verse from the Psalms being repeated meanwhile: "Exurge, Domine, adjuva nos, et redime nos propter nomen sanctum tuum." The key would revolve if the thing asked could be affirmed."
Example
More examples"Cleidomancy was performed with a key suspended from a thread from the nail of a young virgin's third finger, this verse from the Psalms being repeated meanwhile: "Exurge, Domine, adjuva nos, et redime nos propter nomen sanctum tuum." The key would revolve if the thing asked could be affirmed."
Etymology
From cleido- + -mancy.
More for "cleidomancy"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.