shaman

Meaning

Noun

• A traditional (prescientific) faith healer.
• A member of certain tribal societies who acts as a spiritual and, or religious medium between the concrete and spirit worlds.

Related

Similar words

• priest-doctor, witch doctor

Origin

• Borrowed from German Schamane, from Russian шама́н, The Evenki word is possibly derived from the root ша- ("to know"); or else a loanword from Tocharian B ṣamāne