numerology

noun

nu·​mer·​ol·​o·​gy ˌnü-mə-ˈrä-lə-jē 

ˌnyü-

: the study of the occult significance of numbers

numerological

ˌnü-mə-rə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

ˌnyü-

adjective

numerologist

ˌnü-mə-ˈrä-lə-jist 

ˌnyü-

noun

Did you know?

As an element of astrology and fortune-telling, numerology has long been employed to predict future events. For many early Christians, 3 represented the Trinity, 6 represented earthly perfection, and 7 represented heavenly perfection; and still today, many of us like to group things into sets of 3 or 7, for no particular reason. Numerology has also been used to interpret personality; in particular, numerologists may assign numbers to each letter of a person's name and use the resulting figures, along with the person's date of birth, as a guide to his or her character.

Examples of numerology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, some of the earliest high-rises constructed on the eve of the 20th century had not yet accounted for the superstitious numerology that’s so commonplace today. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026

The numerology of the 7/7 portal correlates with the understanding of the number 7 itself. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026

People who believe in numerology often consider palindrome dates lucky because of their symmetry, according to the Farmer's Almanac. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 18 June 2026

White was into astrology and meditation and numerology and Egyptology and a lot of the hippie metaphysics that flourished in California in the ’70s. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin numerus number entry 1 + -o- + -logy

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for numerology

• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology
• dermatology