sortes

English

Etymology

From Latin plural of sors (“lot, fate, oracular response”).

Noun

sortes pl (plural only)

1. divination, or the seeking of guidance, by chance selection of a passage in the Bible or another text regarded as authoritative.
   • 2014, AnneMarie Luijendijk, “Introduction”, in Forbidden Oracles? The Gospel of the Lots of Mary (Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum / Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity; 89)‎, Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebek, →ISBN, page 3:

     Book oracles, called sortes (from the Latin sors = lot, indicating that one would obtain the answers by casting lots), allowed for consultation on the spot; the oracle could even come to the petitioner!

Derived terms

• sortes Biblicae
• sortes Homericae
• sortes Virgilianae

Anagrams

• RTOSes, Restos, Sostre, restos, retoss, rosest, rosets, sorest, stores, torses, tosser, tsores

French

Noun

sortes f

1. plural of sorte

Verb

sortes

1. second-person singular present subjunctive of sortir

Anagrams

• restos, stores

Latin

Noun

sortēs f

1. nominative/accusative/vocative plural of sors

References

• “sortes”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “sortes”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Portuguese

Noun

sortes

1. plural of sorte