folk healer
Village medicine person
A folk healer is someone who treats illness or injury using traditional methods passed down through generations rather than formal medical training.
Folk healers may use herbal remedies, spiritual practices, massage, or rituals specific to their culture: The village folk healer prescribed a poultice of local herbs.
The term encompasses diverse traditions—from Appalachian granny women to Mexican curanderos.
- shamanIndigenous spiritual healer
- curanderoLatin American folk healer
- medicine manTraditional indigenous healer
- spirit guideSupernatural personal protector
- herbalistPractitioner using plant medicines
witch doctor · remedies · herbal remedy · herbs · ritual · sacred ritual · spiritual cleansing · incantation · village · elder · poultice · blessing · trance · spirits · laying hands · wise woman · old wives · midwife
- witchcraftwitch, spell, spellwork, witches, spells
- healersnurse, doctor, physician, surgeon, medic
- folk healersherbalist, herb doctor, wise woman, cunning woman, root doctor
- folk medicineherbalism, herbal remedies, herbal medicine, herbalist, medicinal herbs
- Old Healersphysician, surgeon, apothecary, midwife, herbalist
- witcheswitch, enchantress, good witch, bad witch, white witch
folk healermedical doctor
Licensed healthcare practitioner
surgeon · MD · physician · specialist · general practitioner
folk healerpoisoner
One who kills toxically
witch · sorcerer · maleficent · brujo · malefactor
folk, healer, folks, folksy, folkish, folklore, folksong, folkway, heal