Meanings
nounornithomancy (uncountable)
- uncountableDivination by means of birds, especially from their behaviour, flight, vocalisations, etc.
Ornithomancy was a popular way of searching into futurity.
1880, James Grant, The Mysteries of all Nations, Leith: Reid & Son, page 3801 more example
This chapter in the great volume of superstition was indeed cultivated with unusual solicitude amongst the Pagans - ornithomancy (or the derivation of omens from the motions of birds) grew into an elaborate science.
1840 April, Thomas de Quincey, “Modern Superstition”, in Blackwoods Magazine, page 564, column 2
Origin
Translations
Ancient Greek ὀρνιθομαντεία
- ὀρνιθομαντεία (ornithomanteía)divination by means of birds
Arabic تَطَيُّر, طِيَرَة
- تَطَيُّر (taṭayyur)divination by means of birds
- طِيَرَة (ṭiyara)divination by means of birds
- طِيرَة (ṭīra)divination by means of birds
Catalan ornitomància
- ornitomànciadivination by means of birds
Chinese 鳥占
- 鳥占divination by means of birds
French ornithomancie
- ornithomanciedivination by means of birds
Greek ορνιθομαντεία
- ορνιθομαντεία (ornithomanteía)divination by means of birds
Italian ornitomanzia
- ornitomanziadivination by means of birds
Persian اورنیتومانسی
- اورنیتومانسیdivination by means of birds
Spanish ornitomancia
- ornitomanciadivination by means of birds
Cite this entry
APA
ornithomancy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ornithomancy
MLA
“ornithomancy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ornithomancy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ornithomancy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ornithomancy.
Source: ornithomancy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.