Also 7 lican-, lecon-. [ad. Gr. λεκανομαντεία, f. λεκάνη dish, pan, pot (f. λέκος of the same meaning) + μαντεία divination. Cf. F. leconomantie (Rabelais).] Divination by the inspection of water in a basin.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, 294. Hydromancy … done … in a basin of water, which is called Lecanomancie.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 366. They had also their Lecanomancie, which was observed in a Bason of Water, wherein certaine plates of golde and silver were put with Iewels, marked with their jugling Characters.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Licanomancy.
a. 1693. Urquhart’s Rabelais, III. xxv. 207. By Hydromancy, by Leconomancy.
1783. T. Wilson, Archæol. Dict., Lecanomancy.
So † Lecanomancer, † Lecanomantic Obs.–0, one who practises lecanomancy.
1623. Cockeram, Leconomanticke.
1670. Blount, Glossogr., Lecanomancer, a diviner by water in a bason.
