Where does “necromancy” come from?
Necromancy comes from Old French nigromancie, blending Latin niger (black) with Ancient Greek μαντεία (divination), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European neḱ- (death).
necromancy (English): Divination involving the dead or death; Loosely,...
Definitions
- Divination involving the dead or death; Loosely,...
Ancestry of “necromancy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | nigromancye | — |
| 2 | Old French | nigromancie | nigromancy |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | nigromantia | — |
| 4 | Latin | necromantīa | necromancy |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | νεκρομαντεία | necromancy |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μαντεία | prophecy, divination, oracle; The power to... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |