Palmistry — Definition

Palmistry, or chiromancy, reads the hand on several layers: the shape of the palm and fingers (linked to elemental temperaments), the major lines (life, head, heart, fate), the mounts at the base of each finger, and finer markings. The system is shared, with regional variations, across India, China, the Middle East, and Europe. Indian palmistry — Hast Samudrika Shastra — gives it the most sustained classical literature. A serious palmist treats the hand as evolving rather than fixed; lines do change, sometimes in months.

Origin

From the Greek cheir (hand) and manteia (divination), via Latin chiromantia.

Example

A long, clear head line is often read as a sign of sustained, methodical thinking — independent of any particular career.