shaman
Meanings
Plural: shamans
Noun
- in societies practicing shamanism: one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds; practices sorcery for healing or divination
- A traditional faith healer.
- A member of certain tribal societies who acts as a spiritual or religious medium between the concrete and spirit worlds; sometimes also a healer.
Origin / Etymology
Borrowed from German Schamane, from Russian шама́н (šamán), from Evenki шама̄н (şamān), сама̄н (samān), from Proto-Tungusic *samān. The Evenki word is possibly derived from the root ша- ("to know"); or else a loanword from Tocharian B ṣamāne (“monk”) or Chinese 沙門 /沙门 (shāmén, “Buddhist monk”), from Pali samaṇa from Sanskrit श्रमण (śramaṇa, “ascetic, monk, devotee”), from श्रम (śrama, “weariness, exhaustion; labor, toil; etc.”), which would make this a doublet of sramana.
Synonyms
priest-doctor, witch doctor
Scrabble Score: 11
shaman is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL wordshaman is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
shaman is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary