rhapsodomancy

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English

Etymology

From French rhapsodomancie, from Ancient Greek ῥαψῳδός (rhapsōidós) +‎ -mancy.

Noun

rhapsodomancy (uncountable)

  1. Divination by reading a random passage from a poem.
    • 1723, Fabricii, Bibliographia Antiquaria xii:
      Rhapsodomantia sive divinatio ex rhapsodia aliqva poëtæ.
    • 1953, Gaynor (ed.), Dict. Mysticism
      Rhapsodomancy: A form of divination, based on a line in a sacred book or book of poetry which strikes the eye when the book is opened, or which is the last line to be pierced by a needle stuck through the closed book.
    • 1998, Deborah J. Bennett, Randomness, Harvard University Press, page 42:
      Using chance to arrive at a particular passage in the I Ching is a form of rhapsodomancy: the seeking of guidance through the chance selection of a passage in a literary work. Another early form of rhapsodomancy is represented by the sibylline books. [...]