shaman

noun

sha·man | \ ˈshä-mən

, ˈshā- also shə-ˈmän\

plural shamans

Definition of shaman

1 : a priest or priestess who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events

2 : one who resembles a shaman especially : high priest sense 3

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Led by Manari Ushigua, an indigenous leader and shaman, the five- or- seven-day programs focus on meditation, traditional healing rituals, botany, dream interpretation, jungle treks, and river swims. — Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, "28 Places Our Travel Specialists Say You Should Go in 2019," 17 Dec. 2018 Two fleeing Roman soldiers literally spend months in a shack tripping on a shaman’s secret stores and debating religion. — Lincoln Michel, GQ, "Britannia Will Tide You Over Until Game of Thrones Returns," 6 Feb. 2018 In April, Amazonian villagers in Peru dragged a Canadian tourist along the ground by a noose around his neck before killing him, believing him to be guilty of the murder of a local shaman. — Samantha Pearson, WSJ, "In Latin America, Awash in Crime, Citizens Impose Their Own Brutal Justice," 6 Dec. 2018 The harvest rain’s principal contribution to the origins of religion was to spawn a priestly class—diviners and shamans—to forecast or summon it. — Andrew Stark, WSJ, "‘Living With the Gods’ Review: The Gang’s All Here," 16 Nov. 2018 The woman’s sister was married to the shaman’s son, according to the Jakarta Post. — Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, "Elderly shaman tricked girl into having sex with him for 15 years while hiding her in cave, police say," 8 Aug. 2018 On July 7, a shaman group led guests into a ceremony area by initiating a traditional dance called fuego. — Alexandra Macon, Vogue, "The Bride Wore Luar and Celebrated Indigenous Traditions at This Wedding in Mexico," 2 Aug. 2018 On our last afternoon, a shaman came onboard to introduce us to some of the local tribal medicines. — Derek Blasberg, Condé Nast Traveler, "Dispatch from the Amazon on New Year's Eve," 5 Jan. 2018 Wide-net interreligious convocations seem to traditionalists to put their faiths on par with that of a shaman who prays to mountain spirits. — Gordon Mehler, WSJ, "Common Ground for a Wiccan and a Rabbi?," 1 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shaman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.