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 Klee’s father, Jones Benally, is a traditional Diné (as the Navajo call themselves) medicine man; his mother, Berta Benally, is an activist and folk musician of Russian-Polish Jewish heritage who grew up in the folk scene of Greenwich Village. Penelope Green, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2024 When Kinsel recently began seeing visions of his late horse Yoyo running toward him, a medicine man held a ceremony to dispel the phantoms. David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024 Benally, the son of Navajo medicine man, Hoop Dancer and cultural performer Jones Benally and Berta Benally, a folk singer of Russian-Polish Jewish heritage, was born in Black Mesa on the Navajo Nation in 1975. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 4 Jan. 2024 Her mother, who came from a lineage of medicine men and women, clung tightly to the seasonal rituals of gathering plants and keeping sacred songs. Rowan Moore Gerety, WIRED, 13 July 2023 Police and prosecutors have said that in the decades since appearing in the Oscar-winning movie, Chasing Horse had marketed himself to tribes nationwide as a medicine man with healing powers who could communicate with higher beings. Rio Yamat, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2023 That led him to study to become a medicine man. Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2023 Greene, who earned an Oscar nomination for playing medicine man Kicking Bird in Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves and will also appear in Marvel’s Echo series, joins an ensemble cast that includes Linda Kash, Dan Jeannotte, Andrew Phung and Paloma Nunez. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Aug. 2022 On the other chair was Sincere Seven, the 43-year-old master of this ceremony, who calls himself a multidimensional travel agent, spiritual tour guide, medicine man and witch doctor. John Carlisle, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'medicine man.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

medicine man

noun
: a person especially among the American Indians that is believed to have magic powers that can cure illnesses and keep away evil spirits by potions and charms
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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