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energumen

noun
en·​er·​gu·​men | \ ˌenə(r)ˈgyümə̇n\
plural -s

Definition of energumen

1 : a person possessed by or as if by an evil spirit : demoniac specifically : one belonging to a Christian church in the first centuries and placed in a special class ministered to by exorcists and allowed limited participation in common worship
2 : a fanatical devotee, adherent, or enthusiast military energumens

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History and Etymology for energumen

Late Latin energumenus one possessed by an evil spirit, from Late Greek energoumenos, from Greek, worked on, being the object of an action, present middle participle of energein to be in action, effect, from energos active, effective

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