mediumship

English

Etymology

From medium +‎ -ship.

Noun

mediumship (countable and uncountable, plural mediumships)

1. (parapsychology) The state of being a medium (psychic conduit); purported ability to mediate communication between spirits of the dead and living human beings.
   • 1905, Hamlin Garland, “Dr. Britt Explains”, in Tyranny of the Dark‎^[1], Reprint edition (Fiction), Project Gutenberg, published 2008, page 70:

     The mother is a spiritualist—has been for years—and, being on the lookout for it, naturally discovered what she calls 'mediumship' in Viola when a child.

   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     "I may add that in my own domestic circle, under my wife's mediumship, we have been privileged to bring hope and knowledge to some of these unhappy beings."

   • 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 276:

     But for myself I do not regard mediumship very favourably.

Derived terms

• mental mediumship
• physical mediumship

Translations

ability to mediate communication between spirits

• French: médiumnité (fr) f
• Portuguese: mediunidade (pt) f