shaman
[ shah-muhn, shey-, sham-uhn ]
noun
(especially among certain tribal peoples) a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces, etc.
Origin of shaman
11690–1700; <German Schamane<Russian shamán, probably <Evenki šamān, samān
Other words from shaman
- sha·man·ic [shuh-man-ik], /ʃəˈmæn ɪk/, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use shaman in a sentence
Others are Shamanists, and their most sacred spot is the Shamanic stone at the mouth of the river Angar.
British Dictionary definitions for shaman
shaman
/ (ˈʃæmən) /
noun
a priest of shamanism
a medicine man of a similar religion, esp among certain tribes of North American Indians
Origin of shaman
1C17: from Russian shaman, from Tungusian ̆saman, from Pali samana Buddhist monk, ultimately from Sanskrit śrama religious exercise
Derived forms of shaman
- shamanic (ʃəˈmænɪk), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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