aeromancy
(ˈɛərəʊˌmænsɪ)
Forms: 4 aeromaunce, 5 -mancye, 7 -mancie (heromanty), 7– aeromancy.
[orig. a. OFr. *aeromance; afterwards modified after later Fr. aéromancye, aéromantie, or med.L. āeromantia; f. Gr. ἀήρ atmosphere + µαντεία prophesying: see -mancy.]
Divination by air, including augury; passing in 17th c. into the idea of weather-forecasting, meteorology.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 45 And eke also Aeromaunce in jugement To love he bringeth of his assent. 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de Worde) i. xxxvi. 77/1 Aeromancye, that is wytchecrafte done in the ayer. c 1590 Greene Fryer Bacon (1630) 6 By æromancy, to discouer doubts. 1607 Topsell Serpents (1653) 645 Countrey people..have learned of them Aeromantie, that is, Divination of things by the air, for they have a forefeeling and understanding of rain and windes aforehand. 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Wks. iii. 12/2 By fire he hath the Skill of Pyromanty By Ayre he hath the Art of Heromanty. 1753 Chambers Cycle Supp. s.v., Barometers, thermometers, hygrometers, and anemometers, are of considerable use in this kind of aeromancy. |