The word séance comes from a French verb meaning “to sit,” and the word is often used in the French language to refer to a session where people gather together, seated, to enjoy a show or some other entertainment. In English since the mid-19th century, the word has become specifically associated with the occult. A séance is a small gathering of people, among them a spiritualist or medium, who are attempting to contact the spirits of the dead. Oddly enough, people at séances do not always sit.