energumen

British  

/ ˌɛnəˈɡjuːmɛn /

noun

1. a person thought to be possessed by an evil spirit

2. a fanatic or zealot

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Etymology

Origin of energumen

C18: via Late Latin from Greek energoumenos having been worked on, from energein to be in action, from energos effective; see _energy

Example Sentences

Colin is a sort of freelance philosophical energumen, who, upon receiving several cryptic typed messages, makes them the subject of an obsessive study.

From The New Yorker

And Pascale Ogier was a young energumen of the new Paris night life.

From The New Yorker

Energumen, en-er-gū′men, n. one possessed: a demoniac.

From Project Gutenberg

The commissary chosen was Gaveau, a low energumen, who had shown signs of mental alienation, and had struck the prisoners in the streets of Versailles; the president, Merlin, a colonel of engineers, one of the capitulards of Bazaine's army; the rest an assortment of trusty Bonapartists.

From Project Gutenberg

"This, then, is that energumen whom we are so frightened of in the provinces!" exclaimed our friend.

From Project Gutenberg