Dowsing is the exercise of a human faculty, which allows one to obtain information in a manner beyond the scope and power of the standard human physical senses of sight, sound, touch, etc. This is possible using tools, the body or using intuition or paranormal abilities / the human ~body (=deviceless dowsing). Dowsing with a pendulum, rod or other instrument is a type of divination, what is perceiving/having knowledge of the hidden and comes from the subconsciousness of a person.

Dowsing is often used for the search for hidden things like water or metals. The search for water (with especially a dowsing rod) is also called 'water witching'. Nowadays it is often used for tracking down leylines and earth rays. Dowsing is an ancient art. It has been used in Egypt, and also with making the choose where the sanctuary had to come.

Other words for dowsing are: divining or divination, rhabdomancy, doodlebugging, and radiesthesia. The French use the word sourcier for finding the invisible (origin: finding water). Someone who is practicing this ancient art, is called a dowser or a diviner.