palmistry: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal / Technical
Quick answer
What does “palmistry” mean?
The practice of interpreting a person's character or predicting their future by examining the lines and other features of the palm of their hand.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The practice of interpreting a person's character or predicting their future by examining the lines and other features of the palm of their hand.
A pseudoscience or form of divination centered on the analysis of the hand's shape, lines, and mounts; often associated with fortune-telling, mysticism, and character analysis.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The term is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Carries the same connotations of fortune-telling, mysticism, and pseudoscience in both cultures.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, primarily used in specific contexts (e.g., fairs, mystic shops, historical or anthropological discussion).
Grammar
How to Use “palmistry” in a Sentence
to practise palmistryto be skilled in palmistryto believe in palmistrya reading based on palmistryVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “palmistry” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No standard verb form. One might 'practise palmistry'.
American English
- No standard verb form. One might 'practice palmistry'.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjective form. Use 'palmistry-related' or 'chiromantic'.
American English
- No standard adjective form. Use 'palmistry-related' or 'chiromantic'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused, except in the context of running a fortune-telling business.
Academic
Used in anthropological, historical, or cultural studies discussing divination practices.
Everyday
Used when discussing fortune-tellers, psychic fairs, or as a point of casual interest or scepticism.
Technical
Used as the formal term within literature on divination and occult practices.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “palmistry”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “palmistry”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “palmistry”
- Using 'palmistry' to refer to the hand itself (e.g., 'He injured his palmistry'). Confusing it with 'palm tree'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is widely regarded as a pseudoscience or a form of divination, lacking empirical evidence to support its predictive claims.
'Palmistry' is the formal name for the practice or art itself. 'Palm reading' is a more informal term for the act of interpreting a specific person's palm.
Yes, there are many instructional books detailing the traditional interpretations of lines and hand shapes, though mastery is said to require extensive practice.
Traditional palmistry holds that while major lines are largely fixed, some minor lines can change over time, reflecting life changes.
The practice of interpreting a person's character or predicting their future by examining the lines and other features of the palm of their hand.
Palmistry is usually formal / technical in register.
Palmistry: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːmɪstri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpɑːmɪstri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To have one's palm read (a related action, not the practice itself).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the PALM of your hand + the suffix -ISTRY (like chemistry or artistry). It's the 'artistry of reading the palm'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE HAND IS A MAP OF LIFE (lines are paths, mounts are territories of influence, the hand's shape is the landscape of destiny).
Practice
Quiz
What is the core meaning of 'palmistry'?