divination
gb/dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/ us/dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
process
1
predicting the future by magic
the practice of trying to know the future using magic or signs
Usage pattern:
divination (by/through [method]); divination from [signs]
Common mistake:
Don't confuse divination (predicting/learning by supernatural signs) with divine (connected to a god) or divinity (godhood).
Synonyms
fortune-telling (common, everyday term for predicting the future.)
|
soothsaying (more literary; suggests prophecy.)
|
augury (often historical; specifically from omens.)
Collocations
practice divination
|a form of divination
|divination rituals
|divination methods
|divination techniques
|divination tools
|divination by tarot
|divination by astrology
|divination by casting lots
|divination with runes
Themes
religion
|superstition
|magic
|culture
Examples
- In ancient Rome, divination was used to decide whether a military campaign should go ahead.
- She offers divination services, including tarot readings and palmistry.
- The museum has a display of divination tools used to interpret dreams and omens.
Learner examples
- Some people believe in divination.
- Tarot reading is a kind of divination.
Noun
literary
C1
process
2
uncanny intuitive guessing
a very good guess that feels like magic
Usage pattern:
by (sheer) divination; a divination that [clause]
Common mistake:
In this meaning, divination is often used figuratively (not literally about magic), especially in phrases like "as if by divination".
Synonyms
intuition (more common; focuses on instinct rather than the supernatural feel.)
|
hunch (informal; a quick instinctive guess.)
Antonyms
deduction (reasoning from evidence rather than an unexplained insight.)
Collocations
by sheer divination
|as if by divination
|uncanny divination
|a kind of divination
Themes
thinking
|communication
Examples
- By sheer divination, she guessed the password on her first try.
- He seemed to know what I was thinking, not by logic but by divination.
- The editor’s divination of what readers wanted turned out to be exactly right.
Learner examples
- I guessed it by divination.
- She knew the answer as if by divination.
Noun
C1
abstract
3
magic focused on seeing the future
a kind of magic for finding hidden information
Usage pattern:
divination magic; a spell of divination
Synonyms
scrying (a specific divination method (e.g., crystal ball), often in fantasy.)
Collocations
divination magic
|a divination spell
|a divination school
|divination abilities
|divination powers
Themes
magic
|literature
|games
Examples
- In the game, divination lets you reveal hidden traps and secret doors.
- The wizard specialized in divination rather than combat spells.
- The story treats divination as a risky form of magic with unpredictable results.
Learner examples
- Divination magic shows the future.
Noun
formal
C2
event
4
a single act of divining
one time of trying to predict or discover something by magic
Usage pattern:
perform a divination; a divination for [purpose]
Synonyms
reading (informal; often used for tarot or palm readings.)
Collocations
perform a divination
|conduct a divination
|a divination ritual
|a divination ceremony
Themes
religion
|culture
Examples
- The priest performed a divination before the journey began.
- They asked for a divination to determine the best day for the wedding.
- Each divination followed the same sequence of chants and signs.
Grammar
Dictionary form
divination
IPA
GB/dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
US/dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
divin - a - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (tion)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: divination
- Plural: divination, divinations
Word family
Forms
divinations
noun
Core family
divine
verb B2
diviner
noun
Advanced or less common
divinatory
adjective
Expressions
as if by divination
1/ˈæz ˈɪf bˈaɪ dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
literary
as if by magical insight
in a way that feels like magic because it is so accurate
Examples
- She arrived at exactly the right moment, as if by divination.
- He found the missing file as if by divination, without anyone telling him where to look.
- They chose the winning design as if by divination.
by divination
1/bˈaɪ dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
by supernatural means or guessing
by magic or by a very good guess
Examples
- In the tale, he learns the king’s fate by divination.
- I wasn’t told the plan—I had to work it out by divination.
- They claimed to identify the thief by divination.
the art of divination
1/ðə ˈɑɹt əv dˌɪvənˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
the skill or practice of divining
divination as a skill that people learn
Examples
- The book introduces readers to the art of divination across different cultures.
- She studied the art of divination under an experienced astrologer.
- Legends describe the art of divination as both powerful and dangerous.