necromantic

Necromantic is an adjective describing things related to necromancy, the alleged practice of communicating with the dead to obtain knowledge, guidance, or power. It can apply to rituals, objects, or spells attributed to necromancy, as well as to styles or aesthetics that evoke or imitate such practices. In contemporary usage, necromantic elements frequently appear in fantasy, horror, and occult-inspired media.

The term derives from Latin necromanticus, via Greek nekromanteia, combining nekros “dead” and manteia “divination.” In English, necromantic is attested from the medieval or early modern period to distinguish necromancy from other magical arts.

In fiction and games, necromantic magic is often depicted as manipulating or communing with the dead, including raising revenants, summoning spirits, or inflicting curses. The term can carry moral or ethical connotations, with necromancy sometimes portrayed as dangerous or outlawed. Outside fiction, the descriptor may appear in discussions of folklore, occult traditions, or symbolic art that engages themes of mortality and the afterlife.

See also: Necromancy; Necromancer.