ceraunomancy means divination by thunder or lightning; the use of thunder or lightning to supernaturally gain information. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why “ceraunomancy” is a great word
CERAUNOMANCY — [Noun] The practice of divination by, or the magical control of, thunder and lightning. From Ancient Greek κεραυνός (keraunós, "thunderbolt, lightning") + -μαντεία (-manteía, "divination"). Unlike "ceraunoscopy," which denotes only the observation of celestial signs, or "astrology," which interprets the predictable movements of stars, ceraunomancy is an immediate and violent colloquy with the sky. It is the augur counting heartbeats between flash and crash, the raised staff daring to call down the bolt, and the scent of ozone over a scorched altar stone—a desperate bid to impose will upon the one force that remains supremely indifferent.
Etymology
From cerauno- + -mancy; based on earlier ceraunoscopy.
noun
- Divination by thunder or lightning; the use of thunder or lightning to supernaturally gain information.“Indeed as DeMille in 1956 filmed the Decalogue, God inscribes each commandment literally with a bolt of lightning. Because the film functions to read the signs of the times, the practice here invokes ceraunomancy (divination by lightning).”
- The magical or supernatural power of conjuring or controlling thunder or lightning.