rare. [ad. Gr. θεοληψία, f. θεός god + -ληψία, f. λῆψις seizure, f. λαμβάνειν, root λαβ- to take.] Seizure or possession by a deity, inspiration. So Theoleptic [Gr. θεοληπτικ-ός adj.], one possessed or inspired by a deity.
1851. Illustr. Amer. News, I. 16 Aug., 87/1. He divined … by Theolepsy, exstacy.
1881. W. Alexander, Speaker’s Comm. N. T., IV. 332/2. The streets of Ephesus were full of theoleptics and convulsionaries.
1886. Maudsley, Nat. Causes & Supernat. Seemings, 222. The incoherent utterances which … the theoleptic … poured out under divine compulsion. Ibid., 315. Neither theolepsy, nor diabolepsy, nor any other lepsy in the sense of possession of the individual by an external power.
