Online Encyclopedia
Make a correction
Your email address will not appear on the site. Note, comments may take some time to be approved.
Back to article:
NECROMANCY (Gr. veKpoµavreia, or veIVoµavrEia, from vEKpos or ViKVS, corpse, and µavreia, divination)
Your email:
Article name:
Article content:
NECROMANCY (Gr. veKpoµavreia, or veIVoµavrEia, from vEKpos or ViKVS, corpse, and µavreia, divination), properly divination by communicating with the dead. The latinized form of the Greek word was corrupted into nigromantia, connecting the word with niger, black, and so was applied to the " black art," " black magic," in the sense of witchcraft, sorcery. This corrupted form is common in English to the 17th century (see MAGIC and WITCHCRAFT).