Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “divination” come from?

Divination comes from Old French divination, from Latin divinatio (the act of foretelling), derived from Latin divinus (divine, godlike) using the Latin suffix -tio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dyew- (sky, deity) with Proto-Indo-European suffixes -iHnos and -no-.

divination (English): The act of divining; a foreseeing or foretelling...

Definitions

  1. The act of divining; a foreseeing or foretelling...

Ancestry of “divination”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchdivination—
2Latindivinatiodivination, prophecy
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →