English
divination
Divination comes from Latin divinatio ‘divination, prophecy’, from Proto-Italic *deiwos ‘god, deity’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘to be bright, to shine’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-‘to be bright, to shine’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deywós‘god’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwos‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwīnos‘divine’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīvīnus‘divine, inspired, prophetic’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīvīnō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdivinatio‘divination, prophecy’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400divination
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-‘to be bright, to shine’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deywós‘god’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwos‘god, deity’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*deiwīnos‘divine’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīvīnus‘divine, inspired, prophetic’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīvīnō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdivinatio‘divination, prophecy’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400divination
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘to be bright, to shine’
die, journey, journal, diary, dev, dial, meridian, sojourn, jovial, diurnal, deism, deist, 32 more
through Proto-Indo-European *deywós ‘god’
through Proto-Italic *deiwos ‘god, deity’
Today it means
noun The act of divining; a foreseeing or foretelling of future events.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dyew- / divination