zoomancynoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zoomancy mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zoomancy. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How is the noun zoomancy pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the noun zoomancy come from?
Earliest known use
1880s
The earliest known use of the noun zoomancy is in the 1880s.
OED's earliest evidence for zoomancy is from 1888, in the writing of Helena Blavatsky, founder of theosophy.
Nearby entries
- zoologize, v.1830–
- zoologizing, n.1815–
- zoology, n.1663–
- zoom, n.1917–
- zoom, v.¹1886–
- Zoom, v.²2014–
- zoom, int.1856–
- zoomable, adj.1972–
- zoomagnetism, n.1824–
- zooman, n.1871–
- zoomancy, n.1888–
- zoomania, n.1807–
- zoomantist, n.1861
- Zoomar, n.1946–
- zoomechanical, adj.1897
- zoomechanics, n.1888–1903
- zoomelanin, n.1858–
- zoometric, adj.1892–
- zoometry, n.1878–
- zooming, n.1892–
- zooming, adj.1904–
Etymology
Meaning & use
- 1888–Divination by observing the actions of animals.
- 1888
Why should so many generations have believed in divination by birds, and even in zoomancy.
H. P. Blavatsky, Secret Doctrine vol. I. i.ii. vi. 362 - 1912
Official zoömancy and orniscopy have, of course, always consisted principally in observation and study of aberrations of animals from their common habits and shapes.
J. J. M. de Groot, Relig. in China vii. 275 - 2001
Rice listed sixty-seven varieties, from divination by air, or Aeromancy..and Zoomancy (living creatures).
D. Carlyon, Dan Rice 101
the mind operation of the mind expectation foresight, foreknowledge prediction, foretelling divination [nouns]- wielOld English–1275Sorcery; trickery. In Old English also: divination.
- divinec1330Soothsaying; conjecture; divination, n.
- diviningc1340–The action of divine, v.. Soothsaying, prophecy, divination.
- divinationc1374–The action or practice of divining; the foretelling of future events or discovery of what is hidden or obscure by supernatural or magical means…
- divinailc1386–1484Divining, soothsaying, divination.
- sortilegea1387–The practice of casting lots in order to decide something or to forecast the future; divination based on this procedure or performed in some other…
- sortilegya1387–Divination by the casting or drawing of lots or otherwise; = sortilege, n.¹ 1.
- divinity1481–1601= divination, n. 1. Obsolete. rare.
- matesy1543Probably: divination.
- divinement1579The action of divining; divination.
- divinesse1594–1605a. Divination. b. Divineness, divinity; divine quality or character.
- predivination1603–11The divining of events beforehand.
- observating1652Divination, augury; = observation, n. II.5d.
- sortiary1653= sortilege, n.¹ 1.
- fatidicency1693A method of foretelling fate; divination.
- fatiloquency1693
- pessomancy1727–Divination by means of pebbles.
- mantology1774–The art or practice of divination.
- scyphomancy1855–Divination by means of a cup.
- manticism1861–The art or practice of divination.
- zoomancy1888–Divination by observing the actions of animals.
- mantic1891–93The art or practice of divination; = manticism, n. Obsolete. rare.
- tree-divination1921–Divination by listening to the rustling of the leaves of a tree supposed to be the seat of a deity.
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige
Vowels
- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot