babaylan

noun

ba·​bay·​lan

variants or babailan

ˌbäbīˈlän

or babalyan

-bəlˈyän

or babalian

-bəlēˈän

plural babaylanes

-äˌnās

in central and southern Philippines

: a pagan priest, priestess, or medium

Word History

Etymology

of Philippine origin; akin to Tagbanuwa babalyan, from balyan mediumship, esoteric religious skill

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

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