Forms: 4 aeromaunce, 5 -mancye, 7 -mancie (heromanty), 7– aeromancy. [orig. a. OFr. *aeromance; afterwards modified after later Fr. aéromancye, aéromantie, or med.L. āeromantia; f. Gr. ἀήρ atmosphere + μαντεία prophesying: see -MANCY.] Divination by air, including augury; passing in 17th c. into the idea of weather-forecasting, meteorology.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 45. And eke also Aeromaunce in jugement To love he bringeth of his assent.
1496. Dives & Pauper (W. de Worde), I. xxxvi. 77/1. Aeromancye, that is wytchecrafte done in the ayer.
c. 1590. Greene, Fryer Bacon (1630), 6. By Æromancy, to discouer doubts.
1607. Topsell, Serpents (1653), 645. Countrey people … have learned of them Aeromantie, that is, Divination of things by the air, for they have a forefeeling and understanding of rain and windes aforehand.
1630. J. Taylor (Water P.), Wks., III. 12/2. By fire he hath the Skill of Pyromanty By Ayre he hath the Art of Heromanty.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Barometers, thermometers, hygrometers, and anemometers, are of considerable use in this kind of aeromancy.
