English
idolomancy
Idolomancy comes from Late Latin idolum ‘image, form, especially a spectre, apparition…’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéydos‘seeing, image’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wéidosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἶδοςeîdos‘form’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEεἴδωλονeídōlon‘image, idol’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEidolum‘image, form, especially a spectre, apparition or ghost’
- Englishearliest quotation 1973idolomancy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéydos‘seeing, image’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wéidosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἶδοςeîdos‘form’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEεἴδωλονeídōlon‘image, idol’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEidolum‘image, form, especially a spectre, apparition or ghost’
- Englishearliest quotation 1973idolomancy
Earliest quotation: 1973, Gibson Complete Illust: “IDOLOMANCY: Use of idols or images for purposes of…”
A compound of idol + -mancy
Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
…
Ancient Greek εἴδωλον ‘image, idol’
Latin īdōlum ‘image, form, especially a spectre, apparition…’
Old French idole
Middle English ydole ‘an idol’
English idol
The story
First element is from Late Latin idolum, from Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon, “image, idol”). Second element is from Latin -mantīa, ultimately from Ancient Greek μᾰντείᾱ (mănteíā).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
story, guy, video, idea, review, visit, provide, advice, interview, evidence, vision, guide, witness, historic, visa, advise, invisible, wit, wisdom, wizard, evident, visibility, historian, vista, wisely, witty, revise, guise, prudent, envious, unwise, revue, jurisprudence, improvise, prudence, avis, purview, druid, twit, vide, 105 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wéydos ‘seeing, image’
through Proto-Hellenic *wéidos
through Ancient Greek εἶδος ‘form’
steroid, tabloid, hypothyroidism, idyll, hyperthyroidism, parathyroid, trapezoid, hyoid, thyroxine, sigmoid, thyroiditis, colloid, 49 more
through Ancient Greek εἴδωλον ‘image, idol’
Today it means
noun Divination by idols, images or figures.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weyd- / idolomancy