numerology

nu·mer·ol·o·gy

noun \ˌnü-mə-ˈrä-lə-jē, ˌnyü-\

Definition of NUMEROLOGY

: the study of the occult significance of numbers

— nu·mer·o·log·i·cal \-mə-rə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ adjective

— nu·mer·ol·o·gist \-mə-ˈrä-lə-jist\ noun

Origin of NUMEROLOGY

Latin numerus + English -o- + -logy

First Known Use: 1911

Rhymes with NUMEROLOGY

cosmetology, etymology, genealogy, martyrology, phraseology, radiology

numerology

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Use of numbers to interpret a person's character or divine the future. It is based on the assertion by Pythagoras that all things can be expressed in numerical terms because they are ultimately reducible to numbers. Using a method analogous to that of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets (in which each letter also represented a number), modern numerology attaches a series of digits to an inquirer's name and uses these, along with the date of birth, to reveal the person's true nature and prospects.