Chirognomy

/kaɪˈrɑːɡnəmi/ noun

Definition

The study or practice of interpreting character, personality, and future by examining and analyzing the features, lines, and shape of the human hand.

Etymology

From Greek 'cheir' (hand) + 'gnome' (knowledge/judgment). The term was popularized during the Renaissance when palmistry became systematized as a pseudo-science.

Kelly Says

Chirognomy appears in 16th-century medical texts as a legitimate science alongside phrenology and astrology—it's a fascinating window into what educated people once considered empirical knowledge.

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