- rhabdomancy (n.)
- 1640s, "use of divining rod" (especially to discover ores or underground water), from Greek rhabdos "rod, twig, stick" + manteia "divination, oracle" (see -mancy). Greek rhabdos is from PIE *werbh- (cf. Lithuanian virbas "twig, branch, scion, rod," Latin verbena "leaves and branches of laurel"), from root *werb- "to turn, bend" (see warp (v.)).