isopsephy
Sign in to saveAlso known as isopsephism
In numerology, isopsephy (stressed on the I and the E; , ) or isopsephism is the practice of adding up the number values of the letters in a word to form a single number. The total number is then used as a metaphorical bridge to other words evaluating the equal number, which satisfies or "equal" in the term. Ancient Greeks used counting boards for numerical calculation and accounting, with a counter generically called ('pebble'), analogous to the Latin word , from which the English calculate is derived.
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Article
6 sectionsContents
- History
- Letter values of the Greek alphabet
- See also
- Notes
- Further reading
- External links
In numerology, isopsephy (stressed on the I and the E; , ) or isopsephism is the practice of adding up the number values of the letters in a word to form a single number. The total number is then used as a metaphorical bridge to other words evaluating the equal number, which satisfies or "equal" in the term. Ancient Greeks used counting boards for numerical calculation and accounting, with a counter generically called ('pebble'), analogous to the Latin word , from which the English calculate is derived.
Isopsephy is related to gematria: the same practice using the Hebrew alphabet. It is also related to the ancient number systems of many other peoples (for the Arabic alphabet version, see Abjad numerals). A gematria of Latin script languages was also popular in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and its legacy remains an influence in code-breaking and numerology.