Dictionary

dowser en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdaʊzə/

Etymology

From dowse + -er.

Meanings

1. A divining rod used in searching for water, ore, etc.; a dowsing rod.
2. One who uses the dowser or divining rod. A diviner.
   • The instrument a dowser uses is called a dowsing rod, dowsing stick, doodlebug (when used to locate oil), or divining rod. Almost any item can be used for this purpose: a birch twig, a whalebone, and even a hanger. 2002, Michael Shermer, The Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 93:
   • Google Cayce and you will find “coolhunter,” and if you look closely you may see it suggested that she is a “sensitive” of some kind, a dowser in the world of global marketing. 2003, William Gibson, Pattern Recognition (Bigend cycle; book 1), New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, page 2:
   • Interestingly enough, John Mullins, the celebrated English dowser, was able to do this experiment using a forked twig, rather than a pendulum. He claimed to be able to locate nothing but water with his dowsing rod. 1996, Richard Webster, Dowsing for Beginners: The Art of Discovering Water, Treasure, Gold, Oil, Artifacts, Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN:

Forms

Coordinates

doodlebug

Relateds

rhabdomancy

Synonyms

waterfinder · radiesthesist · rhabdomancer · divining rod · dowsing rod · rhabdomantist · water diviner

Translations (39)

ca saurí (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pt vedor (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · io hidroskopo (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Wünschelrutengeher (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Rhabdomantin (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Rhabdomant (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Wünschelrutengänger (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · mr पानाड्या (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pl różdżkarz (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · nl wichelroedeloper (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Wünschelrutengeherin (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pl radiestetka (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pt rabdomante (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr baguettisante (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Rutengänger (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · ga collóir (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · mr जलशोधक (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pl radiesteta (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · mr पानाडी (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · ca rabdomàntic (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · ca rabdomàntica (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · el ραβδοσκόπος (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · it rabdomante (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr rhabdomancien (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr baguettisant (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr sourcière (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr radiesthésiste (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · la aquilex (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · gl rabdomante (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Rutengängerin (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · es zahorí (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fi kaivonkatsoja (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr rhabdomancienne (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · de Wünschelrutengängerin (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · fr sourcier (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · pl różdżkarka (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · ca rabdomant (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · ga aimsitheoir uisce (one who uses the dowser or divining rod) · es rabdomante (one who uses the dowser or divining rod)