medicine man

noun

: a person especially among American Indian groups who is believed to possess supernatural powers that can heal illnesses and keep away evil spirits : shaman

Examples of medicine man in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Nygren's speech, medicine man Lorenzo Max led the march, singing prayers and sharing ancestral stories. Trilce Estrada Olvera, The Arizona Republic, 3 Aug. 2024 Iron Eyes, a 46-year-old lawyer and Indigenous rights activist, was 9 when a medicine man taught him traditions he’s maintained since, in the wake of the tribe’s annual sun dance ceremony at the park. Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 26 July 2024 And a Navajo medicine man will teach you about the indigenous population and its traditional practices. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 July 2024 Thirty-one of the 190 videos—almost a fifth—include disparaging remarks about tribal practices including the Sunrise Dance or medicine men, including two completely dedicated to convincing the congregation of the evil within the Sunrise Dance. Seyward Darby, Longreads, 28 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for medicine man 

Word History

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of medicine man was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near medicine man

Cite this Entry

“Medicine man.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medicine%20man. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

medicine man

noun
: a person especially among members of Indigenous American tribes that is believed to have magic powers that can cure illnesses and keep away evil spirits by potions and charms
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!