What does "rhabdomancy" mean?
Divination with wands or rods, especially to use a divining rod to find things below the ground.
Rhabdomancy
/ˈɹæb.dəˌmæn.si/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Divination with wands or rods, especially to use a divining rod to find things below the ground.
- Grammar: rhabdomancy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: dowse, dowsing.
- Usage evidence: This question of buried treasure exercised the minds of ancient occultists considerably, and in connection with it there was frequently employed the art of Rhabdomancy, which was similar to that of water divining or water "dousing".
How to use "rhabdomancy"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rhabdomancy" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rhabdomancy" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 Divination with wands or rods, especially to use a divining rod to find things below the ground. uncountable
"This question of buried treasure exercised the minds of ancient occultists considerably, and in connection with it there was frequently employed the art of Rhabdomancy, which was similar to that of water divining or water "dousing"."
- 2 searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This question of buried treasure exercised the minds of ancient occultists considerably, and in connection with it there was frequently employed the art of Rhabdomancy, which was similar to that of water divining or water "dousing"."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rhabdomancy"?
Common synonyms include: dowse, dowsing.
How do you use "rhabdomancy" in a sentence?
This question of buried treasure exercised the minds of ancient occultists considerably, and in connection with it there was frequently employed the art of Rhabdomancy, which was similar to that of water divining or water "dousing".
How do you pronounce "rhabdomancy"?
Pronounced /ˈɹæb.dəˌmæn.si/.
Etymology
From rhabdo- + -mancy, first attested in 1646. From Latin rhabdomantīa, from Ancient Greek ῥαβδομαντεία (rhabdomanteía), from ῥάβδος (rhábdos, “rod”) + μαντεία (manteía, “divination”).