medicine man

Noun

medicine man (plural medicine men)

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 chanted1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha, section XIV
   • 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.1891, W. Fletcher Johnson, Life of Sitting Bull and History of the Indian War of 1890-’91, Edgewood Publishing Co., page 41
2. A traditional healer among other indigenous or ancient peoples.
   • When, however, the plant spirits were not strong enough in themselves, then the family called in the Medicine Man. He appeared, a "monster of so frightful mien", with noise making apparatus which produced such a terrifying din that even the hardiest demon was likely to flee.1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 254
   • "I'm sorry kiddies," he said, "but I haven't very much faith in Medicine Men."1943, H. Lorna Bingham, The Lost Tribe, Sydney: Winn and Co., page 11, column 1
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.1942 September 19, “Van Cleve Shows Pix Under Canvas On Coast”, in Billboard, volume 54, number 37, page 26
   • the medicine man offered free entertainment in exchange for an opportunity to sell hope to a nation of individually troubled people.1991, Quentin J. Schultze, Televangelism and American Culture; The Business of Popular Religion, Baker Book House, →ISBN, page 128