"knowledge of character and possible future based on the lines and marks of the hand," 1885, from chiro- "the hand" + -sophy "knowledge."
Entries linking to chirosophy
chiro-
less properly cheiro-, before vowels chir-, word-forming element meaning "hand," from Latinized form of Greek kheiro-, combining form of kheir (genitive kheiros) "the hand," from PIE root *ghes- "hand."
-sophy
word-forming element meaning "knowledge," from Old French -sophie, from Latin -sophia, from Greek -sophia, from sophia "skill, wisdom, knowledge" (see Sophia).
*ghes-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "the hand."
It forms all or part of: chiral; chiro-; chirognomy; chirography; chirology; chiromancy; chiropodist; chiropractic; chiropractor; chirosophy; chirurgeon; enchiridion; surgeon; surgery; surgical.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek kheir, Hittite keshshar, Armenian jern "the hand"