necromancy

American  

[nek-ruh-man-see] / ˈnɛk rəˌmæn si /

noun

1. a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead; black art.

2. magic in general, especially that practiced by a witch or sorcerer; sorcery; witchcraft; conjuration.

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necromancy British  

/ ˈnɛkrəʊˌmænsɪ /

noun

1. the art or practice of supposedly conjuring up the dead, esp in order to obtain from them knowledge of the future

2. black magic; sorcery

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Usage

What is necromancy? Necromancy is a form of magic or divination in which a person communicates with the dead, as in The evil sorcerer used vile necromancy to get information on his enemies. Necromancy can also refer to magic or witchcraft in general. Often, necromancy is depicted as conjuring up a spirit or temporarily raising the dead. The supposed goal of necromancy is to gain information from the dead, especially about the future. A person who performs necromancy is called a necromancer, as in The necromancer performed a dark ritual in the secluded graveyard. The adjective necromantic refers to things related to necromancy, as in The powerful witch had a wide array of necromantic spells. Example: The wicked magician used necromancy to learn powerful spells from the spirits of dead wizards.

Synonym Usage

See magic.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• necromancer
  noun
• necromantic
  adjective
• necromantically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of necromancy

First recorded in 1250–1300; necro- + -mancy; replacing Middle English nigromancie, from Medieval Latin nigromantīa for Late Latin necromantīa, from Greek nekromanteía; by folk etymology nigro- (combining form of Latin niger “black”) was substituted in Medieval Latin for the original necro-

Explanation

Spooky, sneaky, powerful and strange, necromancy is the art of raising the spirits of the dead, either for their predictions about the future, or their ghostly help in making something happen. Necromancy, also called black magic, comes from the ancient Greek word for corpse necro and prophecy mancy. If you travel to the underworld to speak to the dead, then you have the power of necromancy, not to mention geomancy, the ability to read signs from the earth to find the necropolis, or city of the dead. As you might guess, necromancy isn’t discussed much these days. But if you’re reading about old witch trials, you might find accusations of necromancy abound.

Example Sentences

Today, the innovations in digital necromancy are relentless.

From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026

But there’s a difference between breathing new life into a three-decade-old title and whatever awkward necromancy unnaturally extending the life of “Frasier” achieves without adding fresh layers to its eponymous figure.

From Salon • Oct. 13, 2023

There’s too much money at stake for the project’s backers not to deploy legal necromancy to save it.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 7, 2022

Seeing dead people may seem like a curse, but to the teenage protagonist of the gothic, good-humored “Darby and the Dead,” necromancy is a Friday-night side hustle.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2022

Mrs. Cobb strode on in front of him, passing a stairway that rose up too steeply, and then a library hoarding shelves of dark volumes—the arts of necromancy, Turner figured.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt