mesmerism

[ mez-muh-riz-uhm, mes- ]

noun

1. hypnosis as induced, according to F. A. Mesmer, through animal magnetism.
2. hypnotism.
3. a compelling attraction; fascination.

mesmerism

/ ˈmɛzməˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. a hypnotic state induced by the operator's imposition of his will on that of the patient
2. an early doctrine concerning this

Derived Forms

• ˈmesmerist, noun

Other Words From

• mesmer·ist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesmerism¹

First recorded in 1775–85; Mesmer + -ism

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesmerism¹

C19: named after F. A. Mesmer (1734–1815), Austrian physician

Example Sentences

Chapnick discovered Alcott’s other stories as part of his research into spiritualism and mesmerism.

From Seattle Times

Richter then turned to the master of musical mesmerism for the movie’s soundtrack, to be performed live by a 14-player chamber ensemble of strings, winds and pairs of vibraphones and pianos.

From Los Angeles Times

Sorey recently joined up with the pianist Aaron Diehl, one of jazz’s standard-bearing traditionalists, and the versatile bassist Matt Brewer to record “Mesmerism,” an album of jazz classics and lesser-known pieces from the canon.

From New York Times

This “wonderfully digressive” tale of James Jesse Strang — an early American con man — “is littered with thumbnail histories of 19th-century cross-dressing, John Brown, John Deere, the Brontës, bloomers, the Underground Railroad, mesmerism, newspaper exchanges, the Illuminati and much else,” our reviewer, Chris Jennings, wrote.

From New York Times

Barnum, the vogue for mesmerism, theories of the universe, the birth of the Smithsonian Institution and, not least, the careers of the important early American scientists Joseph Henry and Alexander Dallas Bache.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• allure
• charisma