Obs. Also 6 engastromith, 7 (erron. in Dicts. -mich, -imuch). [ad. Fr. engastrimythe, ad. Gr. ἐγγαστρίμυθος, f. ἐν in + γαστρί, dat. of γαστήρ belly + μῦθος speech.] One who appears to speak in the belly, a ventriloquist.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. ii. Deceipt (1605–7), I. 309. All incenst, the pale Engastromith … Speakes in his wombe.
1623. Cockeram, Engastromich, one possessed, which seemes to speak in his belly.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Engastrimuches (engastrimuchi), were those, that being possessed, seemed to speak out of their belly.
1708. Motteux, Rabelais, IV. lviii. (1737), 238. The first, were call’d Engastrimythes.
Hence † Engastrimythian a., that practises ventriloquism; Engastrimythic a., pertaining to, of the nature of ventriloquism.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xxv. (1694), 208. The Engastrimythian [pr. Eu-] Prophetess.
1849. S. R. Maitland, Illustr. & Enquiries Relating to Mesmerism, I. 58. I cannot help saying that there seems to me to be something engastrimythic in this case.
1851. G. S. Faber, Many Mansions (1854), 80. Upon this, she abandoned her engastrimythic whisperings: and uttered a loud cry of alarm and distress.
