sortilege

American  

[sawr-tl-ij] / ˈsɔr tl ɪdʒ /

noun

1. the drawing of lots for divination; divination by lot.

2. sorcery; magic.

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sortilege British  

/ ˈsɔːtɪlɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act or practice of divination by drawing lots

2. magic or sorcery

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Other Word Forms

• sortilegic adjective
• sortilegious adjective

Etymology

Origin of sortilege

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin sortilegium, for Latin sortilegus, equivalent to sort- (stem of sors ) lot, chance + -i- -i- + -legus (derivative of legere to read, count, choose out); see -ium

Example Sentences

From various sources of information we know that the Druids had recourse to sortilege by fire.

From The Mysteries of All Nations Rise and Progress of Superstition, Laws Against and Trials of Witches, Ancient and Modern Delusions Together With Strange Customs, Fables, and Tales by Grant, James, archaeologist

The casting of lots, sortilege, was common in classical antiquity; the Homeric heroes prayed to the gods when they cast lots in Agamemnon’s leather cap, and Mopsus divined with sacred lots when the Argonauts embarked.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

Similarly dice are thrown for purposes of sortilege; the astragali or knucklebones, used in children’s games at the present day, were implements of divination in the first instance.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 5 "Dinard" to "Dodsworth" by Various

Arrest & procedure faicte par le Lieutenant Criminel d Orleans, contre Siluain Neuillon, Gentien le Clerc dit Niuelle, & Mathurin Ferrand du village de Nouan en Sologne, conuaincus de sortilege le 20 Juin 1614.

From The Witch-cult in Western Europe A Study in Anthropology by Murray, Margaret Alice

Perhaps that was the secret of her sortilege.

From The Shadow Line; a confession by Conrad, Joseph