medicine man

noun

1. (among North American Indians and some other aboriginal peoples) a person believed to possess magical or supernatural powers; shaman.
2. a seller of patent medicine, especially before 1900, presenting a medicine show to attract customers.

medicine man

noun

1. (among certain peoples, esp North American Indians) a person believed to have supernatural powers of healing; a magician or sorcerer

Word History and Origins

Origin of medicine man¹

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

As a young mother, Ms. Rabha was told by a local medicine man that her mentally ill son would soon die; he didn’t.

From New York Times

Law enforcement authorities say in the decades since starring in the Oscar-winning movie, Chasing Horse became a self-proclaimed medicine man among tribes and traveled around North America to perform healing ceremonies.

From Seattle Times

She spent all her nonschool days at the medicine man’s, learning how to make foul-smelling medicines and treating injuries and illnesses.

From Literature

“But these are our sacred sites and it makes our medicine man upset.”

From Los Angeles Times

A medicine man fielded questions from the majority Navajo, or Diné, audience on what to do when the moon partially shrouds the sun.

From Seattle Times