radiesthesia

noun

ra·​di·​esthesia
¦rādē+
1
: sensitiveness held to enable a person with the aid of divining rod or pendulum to detect things (such as the presence of underground water, the nature of an illness, or the guilt of a suspected person)
also : dowsing, divining
2
: a study that deals with radiesthesia

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin radius ray + New Latin esthesia

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of radiesthesia was in 1935

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Dictionary Entries Near radiesthesia

Cite this Entry

“Radiesthesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiesthesia. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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