necromancy
7 synonyms and 0 antonyms for necromancy, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to foretell the future or obtain hidden knowledge.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to foretell the future or obtain hidden knowledge.
“The medieval church condemned necromancy as a form of forbidden magic.”
2. noun literary
Magic in general, especially of a dark or sinister kind.
“The villagers whispered that the old man's cures were necromancy.”
How to Use Necromancy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal and literary when used of historical or religious practice; entirely ordinary vocabulary within fantasy fiction and video games.
Etymology
From Greek nekros "dead body" plus manteia "divination", reaching English through Latin and Old French. The medieval Latin form was reshaped as nigromantia, "black divination", which is why the idea of "black magic" attached to the word.
Full origin of necromancy →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between necromancy and witchcraft?
Necromancy is specifically magic that involves the dead, whether by consulting spirits or by animating corpses. Witchcraft is a much broader term for magical practice of any kind and carries no particular link to the dead.
Is a necromancer the same as a necrophiliac?
No, and the two are unrelated beyond sharing the Greek root nekros, "dead". A necromancer practises magic involving the dead; necrophilia is a sexual attraction to corpses.
Is necromancy real?
As a historical practice it is real: rituals for summoning the dead are documented in Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman and medieval European sources, and the Bible describes one at Endor. There is no evidence that any such ritual actually contacts the dead.