chirognomy etymology

Etymology

  • Greek: χεὶρ (cheir) "hand" + γνώμη (gnōmē) "knowledge, judgment"

Meaning

  • The art or practice of judging a person's character or qualities by the shape or appearance of their hands.

Origin

The term "chirognomy" originated in ancient Greece, where it was believed that the hands revealed insights into an individual's personality, health, and potential. It was thought that by studying the lines, shape, and texture of the palm, fingers, and nails, practitioners could determine a person's character traits, strengths, weaknesses, and even their future outcomes.

Chirognomy gained popularity in the Middle Ages and was widely practiced during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. Notable figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Paracelsus, and Johann Caspar Lavater were known for their interest in chirognomy.

However, with the rise of modern psychology and scientific research, the validity of chirognomy as a reliable method of personality assessment came under scrutiny. Today, chirognomy is generally considered a pseudoscience and is not widely accepted within the scientific community.

chirognomy relate terms

  • chiro

    Etymology Ancient Greek cheir meaning hand Meaning Relating to the hand Of o

  • acknowledge

    Etymology Acknowledge comes from the Middle English word acnowlechen which itself der

  • acquaint

    Etymology Old French acointer Latin accolligere to bring together Proto Indo Europea

  • agnostic

    Etymology From Ancient Greek ἀ a without γνῶσις gnōsis knowledge

  • anagnorisis

    Etymology From Ancient Greek ἀναγνώρισις anagnorisis from ἀνα ana

  • astrognosy

    Etymology Astro Greek for star Gnosis Greek for knowledge Meaning Astrognosy

  • cognition

    Etymology Cognition is derived from the Latin word cognoscere meaning to know or to

  • cognizance

    Etymology Latin cognoscere to know understand com with together gnoscere

  • connoisseur

    Etymology French connoisseur Latin cognoscere to know to be acquainted with

  • could

    Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It traces the evolut

  • couth

    Etymology Old French cooth known familiar courteous Medieval Latin couthus kno

  • cunning

    Etymology The word cunning comes from the Old English word cunnan which means to k

  • diagnosis

    Etymology Greek dia through gnosis knowledge Meaning The process of iden

  • ennoble

    Etymology From Old French ennobler to ennoble from Latin innobilio innobilire t

  • gnome

    Etymology The word gnome derives from the Latin gnomus which was the Roman renderin

  • gnomic

    Etymology Gnomic is derived from the Greek word gnōmē which means maxim sente

  • gnomon

    Etymology The word gnomon is derived from the Greek word gnōmōn which means indi

  • gnosis

    Etymology Greek γνῶσις gnōsis knowledge Meaning Gnosis is a term used

  • gnostic

    Etymology The word gnostic is derived from the Ancient Greek word gnōstikos which m

  • gnostic

    Etymology The word gnostic is derived from the Ancient Greek word gnōstikos which m

  • ignoble

    Etymology The word ignoble comes from the Latin word ignobilis which is composed of

  • ignore

    Noun cat dog tree car book Verb run jump walk talk eat Adjective big small red

  • incognito

    Etymology The word incognito originates from the Latin phrase in cognito which means

  • kenning

    Etymology Old Norse kenning knowledge recognition Meaning A kennning is a type

  • kith

    Etymology Kith is derived from the Old English word cyððe meaning acquaintance

  • know

    Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words It investigates how words have

  • knowledge

    Etymology Derived from the Middle English knowleche which itself comes from Old Engl

  • narrate

    Etymology Narrate comes from the Latin verb narrare which means to tell relate or

  • narration

    Etymology The word narration originates from the Latin word narratio which means a

  • nobility

    Etymology Latin nobilitas Proto Indo European ne bʰel to know understand

  • noble

    Etymology The English word noble comes from the Old French noble c 1080 which is

  • notice

    Etymology Notice derives from the Latin word noticia meaning knowledge notice inte

  • notify

    Etymology Origin Middle English notifeien Old French notifier Latin notare to mark

  • notion

    Etymology of Notion The word notion originates from the Old French word notion meani

  • notorious

    Etymology The word notorious is derived from the Latin phrase nota reus which means

  • physiognomy

    Etymology Greek physis nature growth gnomon indicator interpreter Meaning

  • prognosis

    Etymology Greek prognōsis pro before in advance gnōsis knowledge opinion

  • quaint

    Etymology The word quaint comes from the Old French word coint meaning refined or

  • recognize

    Etymology The study of the origin and history of words Meaning Etymology provides insi

  • reconnaissance

    Etymology Middle English reconissaunce from Anglo French reconissaunce from Latin reco

  • reconnoiter

    Etymology Reconnoiter Middle English reconnoitren lt Old French reconoitre lt Late

  • uncouth

    Etymology The word uncouth comes from Middle English uncouthe which in turn origina

  • Zend

    Etymology The word Zend is derived from the modern Persian word zend which means c

  • chiral

    Etymology Greek cheir hand Latin chīragra gout in the hand Meaning Rela

  • chiro

    Etymology Ancient Greek cheir meaning hand Meaning Relating to the hand Of o

  • chirognomy

    Etymology Greek χεὶρ cheir hand γνώμη gnōmē knowledge judgment

  • chirography

    Etymology From Late Latin chirographia from Greek kheir hand graphein to write

  • chirology

    Etymology Chirology comes from the Greek words cheir hand and logos study word

  • chiromancy

    Etymology Greek cheir χειρ hand manteia μαντεία prophecy Meani

  • chiropodist

    Etymology Chiro Greek hand pod Greek foot Meaning A chiropodist is a healt

  • chiropractic

    Etymology The term chiropractic is derived from the Greek words cheir χειρ

  • chiropractor

    Etymology Chiropractor is derived from two Greek words Chiro Meaning hand Prakti

  • chirosophy

    Etymology Greek cheiros hand sophy wisdom Meaning The study or knowledge

  • chirurgeon

    Etymology Chirurgeon is derived from the Greek word kheirourgikos meaning working b

  • enchiridion

    Etymology The word enchiridion is derived from the ancient Greek word ἐγχειρίδ

  • surgeon

    Etymology The word surgeon comes from the Greek word χειρουργός kheirourgo

  • surgery

  • surgical

    Etymology The word surgical derives from the Latin word chirurgia which in turn com

  • gnome

    Etymology The word gnome derives from the Latin gnomus which was the Roman renderin

  • discrepancy

    Etymology Discrepancy is derived from the Latin word discrepantia which means diffe

  • nurse

    Etymology Middle English nurse Old English nurse Proto Germanic nurstiz Proto Indo E

  • sport

    Etymology The word sport originates from the following sources Old Provençal des

  • spurn

    Etymology Middle English spurnen from Old English spurnan Proto West Germanic spurn

  • maverick

    Etymology Late 19th century probably from Maverick County Texas named after Samuel A

  • heifer

    Etymology of Heifer The word heifer comes from the Old English word heahfore which i

  • higgledy piggledy

    Etymology The origin of higgledypiggledy is uncertain but there are several theories

  • genre

    Etymology The word genre derives from the Old French word gengre which in turn come