arachnomancy
Etymology
From arachno- + -mancy.
arachnomancy means the study of the appearance and behavior of spiders, or the patterns of their webs (possibly related to the third meaning) for use in divination. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 82 out of 100.
Why this word is great
ARACHNOMANCY — [Noun] Divination by interpreting the appearance, behavior, or webs of spiders. From the Greek arákhnē ("spider") and manteía ("divination, prophecy"). Unlike "arachnology," which coldly catalogues anatomy, or "ornithomancy," which seeks meaning in the grand theater of the sky, arachnomancy is a quiet, interior magic. It is the reading of a silken rune woven overnight in a dusty corner, the ominous portent of a spider descending its thread into your lap at dusk, or the careful counting of trapped flies to gauge a coming fortune. To practice it is to believe that the smallest, most instinctual architects hold a mirror to our own uncertain designs.
noun
- The study of the appearance and behavior of spiders, or the patterns of their webs (possibly related to the third meaning) for use in divination.
- The ability to take control over spiders with the intent to use them for attacking or similar purposes.
- The divination of patterns, for example in geometric patterns and tapestries.