logarithmancy

English edit

WOTD – 4 April 2017

The title page of Swiss mathematician Jost Bürgi’s Aritmetische und Geometrische Progress Tabulen (Arithmetic and Geometrical Progression Tables, 1620),^[1] containing tables of progressions – now understood as antilogarithms – which he developed independently of John Napier who is regarded as the discoverer of logarithms

Etymology edit

logarithm +‎ -mancy; or a blend of logarithm +‎ arithmancy.

Pronunciation edit

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /lɒɡəˈɹɪðmənsi/
- Audio (Southern England) (file)
(General American) IPA^(key): /lɑɡəˈɹɪðmənsi/
Hyphenation: log‧a‧rith‧man‧cy

Noun edit

logarithmancy (uncountable)

(obsolete, rare) Divination using logarithms.
- 1652, John Gaule, “From the Affinity to Witch-craft”, in Πῦς-μαντία [Pys-mantia] the Mag-astro-mancer, or The Magicall-astrologicall-diviner Posed, and Puzzled. By John Gaule, Minister of Great Staughton in the County of Huntingdon, London: Printed for Joshua Kirton at the Kings Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard, →OCLC, page 165:
  What difference betwixt Astromancy, Magomancy, or Magastromancy (as touching a sorcerous both superstition, and operation) and all these after-named? viz. […] Arithmancy, by numbers; Logarithmancy, by Logarithmes; […]
- [1973, Walter B. Gibson, Litzka R. Gibson, The Complete Illustrated Book of Divination and Prophecy, London: Souvenir Press, published 1987, →ISBN, page 320:
  LOGARITHMANCY: A mathematical method of divination performed with the aid of logarithms. Now supplanted by modern computers.]

Alternative forms edit

logarithmomancy

References edit

^ Jost Bürgi (1620) Aritmetische und Geometrische Progress Tabulen: Sambt gründlichen undterricht, wie solche nützlich in allerley Rechnungen zugebrauchen und verstanden werden sol [Arithmetic and Geometrical Progression Tables: Together with Thorough Instructions, on How to Use and Understand Them in All Kinds of Calculations], Prague: Sessen, →OCLC.

[1] Jost Bürgi (1620) Aritmetische und Geometrische Progress Tabulen: Sambt gründlichen undterricht, wie solche nützlich in allerley Rechnungen zugebrauchen und verstanden werden sol [Arithmetic and Geometrical Progression Tables: Together with Thorough Instructions, on How to Use and Understand Them in All Kinds of Calculations], Prague: Sessen, →OCLC.

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