molybdomancy

M3O1L1Y4B3D2O1M3A1N1C3Y4

noun

divination by interpreting shapes formed when molten metal, typically lead or tin, is dropped into water.

OriginAncient Greek μόλυβδος →
Scrabble 27
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Meanings

nounmolybdomancy (uncountable)
  1. uncountabledivination by interpreting shapes formed when molten metal, typically lead or tin, is dropped into water.

    1727, Bailey, The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. MOLUBDOMANCY [molybdomanteia of molybdos Lead, and manteia Divination, Gr.] a divining, an observing the motions, Figures, &c. of melted Lead.

    4 more examples

    1931, de Givry, Lock tr., Picture Museum of Sorcery Molybdomancy was divination by melted lead; drops of it were allowed to fall into water, and the resulting noises and hissings listened to.

    The place of molybdomancy is also to be located in the uncertain border area between spontaneous and solicited projection.

    1957, Robert Plank, “Spontaneous Projection of Meaningful Forms”, in Journal of Projective Techniques, page 146

    There was a happy group in Tallahassee swapping wives on the basis of molybdomancy.

    1971 January, Tak Hallus, “Homage”, in Analog Science Fiction / Science Fact, page 67

    Dropping hot lead or tin into water was another method occasionally employed by the Etruscans in a version of molybdomancy, much like ceromancy.

    2003, Raymond Buckland, The Fortune-Telling Book, page 199

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμόλυβδος“lead”
  2. Englishmolybdomancy

From Ancient Greek μόλυβδος (mólubdos, “lead”) and the suffix -mancy. Probably after Greek μολυβδομαντεία (molyvdomanteía) or French molybdomancie.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish tinanvalanta
  • tinanvalantadivination by molten metal dropped in water
French molybdomancie
  • molybdomanciedivination by molten metal dropped in water
German Bleigießen
  • Bleigießendivination by molten metal dropped in water
Latin molybdomantia
  • molybdomantiadivination by molten metal dropped in water
Cite this entry
APA

molybdomancy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/molybdomancy

MLA

“molybdomancy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/molybdomancy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “molybdomancy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/molybdomancy.

Source: molybdomancy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.