medicine man

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A Native American shamanistic healer.

   • And the Jossakeeds, the Prophets, The Wabenos, the Magicians, And the Medicine-men, the Medas, Painted upon bark and deer-skin Figures for the songs they chanted
   • Sitting Bull is commonly thought of as a warrior. In point of fact he was not. He was a “medicine man;” which means that he included within himself the three professions of the priesthood, medicine and law.
2. 2

   A traditional healer among other indigenous or ancient peoples.

   • "I'm sorry kiddies," he said, "but I haven't very much faith in Medicine Men."
   • After the death of Ekwefi's second child, Okonkwo had gone to a medicine man, who was also a diviner of the Afa Oracle, to enquire what was amiss.
3. 3

   The pitchman at a medicine show.

   • One of the most successful of the tent road-showmen is Dr. J. Van Cleve, old-time medicine man, who operates out of Portland. Van Cleve pitches his tent for a week and shows a different film program each night combined with a vaude show.
   • the medicine man offered free entertainment in exchange for an opportunity to sell hope to a nation of individually troubled people.

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