séance

[ sey-ahns ]

noun

1. a meeting in which a spiritualist attempts to communicate with the spirits of the dead.
2. a session or sitting, as of a class or organization.

seance

/ ˈseɪɑ̃ns; -ɑːns /

noun

1. a meeting at which spiritualists attempt to receive messages from the spirits of the dead
2. a meeting of a society

Spelling Note

See resume ².

Word History and Origins

Origin of séance¹

1795–1805; < French: session, equivalent to sé-, base of seoir to sit ¹ (< Latin sedēre ) + -ance -ance

Word History and Origins

Origin of séance¹

C19: from French, literally: a sitting, from Old French seoir to sit, from Latin sedēre

Example Sentences

L7 is perhaps best known for the crossover hit “Pretend We’re Dead,” but magician Rob Zabrecky actually communes with the deceased at the Magic Castle’s Houdini Séance Room.

From Los Angeles Times

Pet cemeteries, spooky escape rooms, a séance aboard a 1930s luxury liner and more await you this Halloween season.

From Los Angeles Times

His favorite role has been producing videos, like the seven-minute mini movie for the 2013 “Sinema Seance” show that parodied classic horror films.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet another company, Seance AI, offers fictionalized seances for free.

From Seattle Times

On a recent afternoon, several boxes of spirit photos, seance drawings and manuscripts were due to be shipped to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass., where they’ll be included in the forthcoming exhibition “Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic and Mediums.”

From New York Times