Meanings
- historicaluncountabledivinationThe practice of divination by pouring oil into water and observing the resulting patterns.
Some of his material makes additions to the hoodoo corpus, especially the title quotation, a divination which may be the only example of oleomancy in HOODOO.
1970, Harry Middleton Hyatt, Hoodoo, Conjuration, Witchcraft, Rootwork, volume 3, Washington, D.C.: American University, page 19682 more examples
The ban on necromancy and divination through idols and teraphim is understandable as falling under the prohibition of worshiping the dead and idols. But on what grounds is the distinction made between, say, hepatoscopy, astrology, and oleomancy, which are all banned, and Urim, ephod, and lots, which are permitted, though also involving a technique?
1960, Yehezkel Kaufmann, translated by Moshe Greenberg, The Religion of Israel: from its Beginning to the Babylonian Exile, Chicago, I.L.: University of Chicago, page 88Once in camp, Balaam may practice his craft. Mesopotamian baru-prophets read omens, by oleomancy (discerning oil patterns in a cup) or hydromancy (water patterns), by hepatoscopy (liver reading) or necromancy (conjuring up dead spirits).
1992, Michael E. Williams, The Storyteller's Companion to the Bible, volume 2 (Exodus–Joshua), Nashville, T.N.: Abingdon Press, →ISBN, page 149
Origin
From oleo- (“oil”) + -mancy (“divination”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish ennustaminen öljyllä ja vedellä
- ennustaminen öljyllä ja vedelläDivination involving oil
Polish wróżenie z oleju
- wróżenie z olejuDivination involving oil
Cite this entry
oleomancy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oleomancy
“oleomancy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oleomancy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oleomancy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oleomancy.
Source: oleomancy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.