molybdomancy
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English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead”) and the suffix -mancy. Probably after Greek μολυβδομαντεία (molyvdomanteía) or French molybdomancie.[1]
Noun
molybdomancy (uncountable)
- divination by interpreting shapes formed when molten metal, typically lead or tin, is dropped into water.
- 1727, Bailey, The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
- MOLUBDOMANCY a divining, an observing the motions, Figures, &c. of melted Lead.
- 1931, de Givry, Lock tr., Picture Museum of Sorcery
- Molybdomancy was divination by melted lead; drops of it were allowed to fall into water, and the resulting noises and hissings listened to.
- 2003, Raymond Buckland, The Fortune-Telling Book, page 199:
- Dropping hot lead or tin into water was another method occasionally employed by the Etruscans in a version of molybdomancy, much like ceromancy.
- 1727, Bailey, The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
Translations
divination by molten metal dropped in water
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References
- ^ Molybdomancy, Oxford Dictionaries