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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The film weaves elements of feng shui and traditional shamanism in its story of an ominous grave investigation. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025 Religion The Women Who Speak For the Gods Juli Min Despite decades of persecution and discrimination, shamanism, Korea's oldest belief system, still maintains its hold on the national psyche. hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025 The rumors of Choi Soon-sil’s shamanism largely stem from what is known about Choi Tae-min. Katharine H.s. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2016 Korean shamanism, like many traditional religions, features a belief in an ongoing relationship between humans and a spirit world inhabited by demons and deceased ancestors. Katharine H.s. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2016 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

Dictionary Entries Near shamanism

Cite this Entry

“Shamanism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shamanism. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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