ichthyomancy
English
Etymology
Alternative forms
Noun
ichthyomancy (uncountable)
- Divination interpreting the appearance and behaviour of fish. A form of augury.
- Divination interpreting the entrails of fish. A form of aruspicy.
Quotations
- 1610 Vives in J. Healey Saint Augustine of the Citie of God
- Diuination generally was done by diuers means..by fishes, Ichthyomancy (this Apuleius was charged with)...
- 1660 Urquhart translating Rabelais Gargantua &ast Pantagruel iii. xxv.
- By Icthiomancy, in ancient times so celebrated, and put in use by Tiresias and Polydamus, with the like certainty of event as was tried of old at the Dina-ditch within that Grove consecrated to Apollo, which is in the Territory of the Lycians.
- 1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult
- Ichthyomancy: Divination by the inspection of the entrails of fish.
- 1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. &ast Prophecy
- ICHTHYOMANCY: Divination by the examination of fish offered for a sacrifice. This can be extended to include the actions of living fish, which have many traditional interpretations, some still popular with present-day fishermen.
- 1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x.
- Ichthyomancy - The next fish caught.