Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

alphitomancy

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: al-phit-o-man-cy
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Meaning

noun

An Ancient Greek method of divination using barley meal, used for instance to reveal guilty parties; it entailed feeding a person or group barley meal, and judging those who felt no effects to be innocent, while judging those who felt indigestion to be guilty.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Aleuromancy and alphitomancy were almost analogous processes; cakes were made of wheat or barley flour which could not be swallowed by anyone guilty of a given misdeed."

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀλφῐτόμαντις (alphĭtómantis, “diviner who used barley meal”), from ἄλφῐτον (álphĭton, “barley meal”) and μαντεία (manteía, “prophecy”).

Usage

Uncountable

Questions

What does alphitomancy mean?: An Ancient Greek method of divination using barley meal, used for instance to reveal guilty parties; it entailed feeding a person or group barley meal, and judging those who felt no effects to be innocent, while judging those who felt indigestion to be guilty.
Where does alphitomancy come from?: From Ancient Greek ἀλφῐτόμαντις (alphĭtómantis, “diviner who used barley meal”), from ἄλφῐτον (álphĭton, “barley meal”) and μαντεία (manteía, “prophecy”).

How to pronounce alphitomancy

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