shamanism

noun

sha·​man·​ism ˈshä-mə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce shamanism (audio)
ˈshā-mə-,
 also  shə-ˈmä-
: a religion practiced by indigenous peoples of far northern Europe and Siberia that is characterized by belief in an unseen world of gods, demons, and ancestral spirits responsive only to the shamans
also : any similar religion
shamanist
ˈshä-mə-nist How to pronounce shamanism (audio)
ˈshā-mə-
 also  shə-ˈmä-
noun
shamanistic adjective

Examples of shamanism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Squid Game is a South Korean production; KPop Demon Hunters, though produced by the American studio Sony Pictures Animation, features elements of Korean art, architecture, mythology, shamanism, food and pop culture embedded throughout the film. Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 That felt a bit like shamanism. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025 Some residents of the Aleutian Islands continue to practice a syncretic combination of Orthodox Christianity and shamanism, Znamenski said. Dan Morrison, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025 There are strong undercurrents of paranoia, shamanism, and even cult worship. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shamanism

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shamanism was in 1780

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Cite this Entry

“Shamanism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shamanism. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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