Oniromancy
/ˈɒnɪrəˌmænsi/noun
The practice of interpreting dreams as omens or messages about the future.
Did you know?The second-century Greek writer Artemidorus wrote Oneirocritica, one of antiquity’s most influential manuals for interpreting dreams and their symbols.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὄνειρος (oneiros)
“Dream, especially a dream understood as a prophetic vision”
Ancient Greek
Greek
μαντεία (manteia)
“Divination or prophecy; the practice of seeking hidden knowledge”
2nd Century CE
Greek
ὀνειροκριτική (oneirokritikē)
“The interpretation or judging of dreams, famously used as the title of Artemidorus’s work”
Late Antiquity
Greek/Latin
ὀνειρομαντεία / oniromantia
“Dream-divination or prophecy through dreams”
17th Century
English
oniromancy
“The interpretation of dreams as prophetic signs”
Modern English
English
oniromancy
“A learned term for divination through dreams”
Explore more surprising origins