shamanism
Americannoun
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the animistic religion of northern Asia, embracing a belief in powerful spirits that can be influenced only by shamans.
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any similar religion.
noun
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the religion of certain peoples of northern Asia, based on the belief that the world is pervaded by good and evil spirits who can be influenced or controlled only by the shamans
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any similar religion involving forms of spiritualism
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shamanism
Explanation
Shamanism is a belief that there is an unseen spirit world and that special healers can interact with it. In shamanism, practitioners called shamans enter deep trance states in which they communicate with the spirits of ancestors, gods, and demons. The energy from these spiritual connections is used both for healing rituals and to divine the future. The tradition of shamanism goes back to Indigenous residents of Siberia, and the word shamanism derives from the Tungusic šaman, "one who knows."
Vocabulary lists containing shamanism
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They were first brutally forced to adopt Christianity and abandon their shamanism, before assimilation efforts intensified in the 19th and 20th centuries as the far north's economic importance grew.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The practice is linked to a sect of esoteric Japanese Buddhism called Shugendo, which has its roots in ancient mysticism, shamanism, and mountain worship.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 19, 2024
Even today, the place is visited by practitioners of shamanism, who organise drumming sessions in the cave.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2023
From flying reindeer to presents and ornaments to the bearded man with the North Pole address, a ton of iconography overlaps with indigenous psychedelic shamanism in Siberia and northern Europe.
From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2022
The old unorganised animism passes into an organised shamanism, such as still prevails among certain Siberian tribes.
From The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia by A. H. (Archibald Henry) Sayce
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
