geomancy

American  

[jee-uh-man-see] / ˈdʒi əˌmæn si /

noun

1. divination by geographic features or by figures or lines.

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geomancy British  

/ ˈdʒiːəʊˌmænsɪ /

noun

1. prophecy from the pattern made when a handful of earth is cast down or dots are drawn at random and connected with lines

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Other Word Forms

• geomancer noun
• geomantic adjective

Etymology

Origin of geomancy

1325–75; Middle English < Old French geomancie ≪ Late Greek geōmanteía. See geo-, -mancy

Example Sentences

Feng shui is a traditional Chinese geomancy practice that is used to determine which location would be most auspicious.

From Reuters • Sep. 27, 2023

Puella and Rubeus were two figures in geomancy, representing two constellations-the one signifying Mars retrograde, the other Mars direct.

From The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by Purves, D. Laing

And at one side of the emperor’s table sit many philosophers that be proved for wise men in many diverse sciences, as of astronomy, necromancy, geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, of augury and of many other sciences. 

From The Travels of Sir John Mandeville by Mandeville, John, Sir

This rude appliance was afterwards refined into the needle compass for guiding mariners on the sea, and assisting the professors of feng- shui or geomancy in their magic rites.

From The Story of Electricity by Munro, John

Pertaining to geomancy, the art of divining future events by means of signs connected with the earth.

From Palamon and Arcite by Dryden, John