Where does “medicine man” come from?

medicine man (English) comes from Ojibwe mashkikiiwinini, from Ojibwe inini, from Proto-Algonquian erenyiwa — man, person.

medicine man (English): A Native American shamanistic healer. The term is...

Definitions

  1. A Native American shamanistic healer. The term is...

Ancestry of “medicine man”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ojibwemashkikiiwininidoctor
2Ojibweininiman, male
3Proto-Algonquianerenyiwaman, person
Every word from Proto-Algonquian erenyiwaEvery word from Ojibwe ininiEvery word from Ojibwe mashkikiiwinini