Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shaman” come from?

Shaman comes from German Schamane, from Russian шама́н, from Evenki шама̄н, ultimately from Evenki сама̄н.

shaman (English): A traditional faith healer; A member of certain...

Definitions

  1. A traditional faith healer; A member of certain...

Ancestry of “shaman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchamaneshaman
2Russianшама́н—
3Evenkiшама̄н—
4Chinese沙門ascetic monk
5Tocharian Bṣamānemonk
6Palisamaṇapeace; tranquillity; extinguishment
7Sanskritश्रमणmaking effort or exertion, toiling, labouring, ...
8Sanskritश्रमfatigue, weariness, exhaustion; exertion, labour,...
9Sanskritश्रम्class 4; to be or become weary or tired, be tired...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱremh₂-—

Words derived from “shaman”

  • shamanic
  • shamanism
  • shamanistic
  • shamanist
  • neoshamanism
  • shamaness
  • shamanize
  • shamanlike
  • nonshaman
  • shamanhood
  • nonshamanic
  • shamanry
  • shamanistically
  • nonshamanistic
  • neoshaman
  • shamanesque
  • techno-shamanic
  • techno-shamanism
  • technoshamanistic
  • technoshaman
  • shamanly
  • neoshamanistic
  • uusšamanismi
  • šamanismi
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱremh₂- →