sortilege

[ sawr-tl-ij ]

noun

1. the drawing of lots for divination; divination by lot.
2. sorcery; magic.

sortilege

/ ˈsɔːtɪlɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act or practice of divination by drawing lots
2. magic or sorcery

Other Words From

• sor·ti·leg·ic [sawr-tl-, ej, -ik], sor·ti·le·gious [sawr-tl-, ee, -j, uh, s], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sortilege¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin sortilegium, for Latin sortilegus, equivalent to sort- (stem of sors ) lot, chance + -i- -i- + -legus (derivative of legere to read, count, choose out); -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of sortilege¹

C14: via Old French from Medieval Latin sortilegium, from Latin sortilegus a soothsayer, from sors fate + legere to select