botanomancy

English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

Noun edit

botanomancy (uncountable)

Divination by plants. A form of pyromancy in which tree branches and/or leaves are burnt.
Tea-leaf reading, or tasseomancy.

Quotations edit

"Diuination generally was done by diuers means...or by Hearbes, Botinomancy, the witches magicke." -- Vives in J. Healey Saint Augustine of the Citie of God, 1610

"By Botomancy, for the nonce I have a few Leaves in reserve." -- Urquhart translating Rabelais Gargantua & Pantagruel iii. xxv., 1660

"A method of divination by means of burning the branches of vervein and briar, upon which were carved the questions of the practitioner." -- L. Spence Encyc. Occult, 1920