logarithmancy

English

WOTD – 4 April 2017

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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /lɒɡəˈɹɪðmənsi/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /lɑɡəˈɹɪðmənsi/
• Hyphenation: log‧a‧rith‧man‧cy

Noun

logarithmancy (uncountable)

1. (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

• logarithmomancy