witch doctor
Magic-using medicine man
A witch doctor is a healer or spiritual practitioner in traditional societies, especially in Africa, who uses magic, herbal remedies, and ritual to treat illness or ward off evil spirits.
The term carries colonial-era connotations of primitive superstition and is now often considered dismissive or offensive when applied to indigenous healers.
Figuratively, a witch doctor is anyone peddling dubious cures or solutions: The consultant was just a corporate witch doctor.
Indigenous spiritual healer
- medicine manTraditional indigenous healer
- traditional healerPractitioner of ancestral medicine
- herbalistPractitioner using plant medicines
- cureTreatment that heals
remedy · healing · divination · diagnosis · exorcism · spiritual healing · folk medicine · curandero
Practice of dark magic
- spellArrange letters correctly
- hexMalevolent incantation
- curseInvoked harm through words
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
magic · voodoo · necromancy · conjuration · charm · talisman · amulet · spellcasting
Formal event marking occasions
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
- altarSacred ritual table
totem · rites · conjuring · invocation · potion · trance · drumming · spirit possession
Social group sharing ancestry
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- aboriginalIndigenous to a place
- nativeOriginating from a place
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
animism · ancestor spirits · folklore · tradition · cultural · chieftain · elder · village
shaman
Indigenous spiritual healer
- medicine manTraditional indigenous healer
- traditional healerPractitioner of ancestral medicine
- herbalistPractitioner using plant medicines
cure · remedy · healing · divination · diagnosis · exorcism · spiritual healing · folk medicine · curandero · laying on hands
sorcery
Practice of dark magic
enchantment · magic · voodoo · necromancy · conjuration · charm · talisman · amulet · spellcasting · black magic
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
altar · totem · rites · conjuring · invocation · potion · trance · drumming · spirit possession · séance
tribe
Social group sharing ancestry
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- aboriginalIndigenous to a place
- nativeOriginating from a place
clan · animism · ancestor spirits · folklore · tradition · cultural · chieftain · elder · village · community
- folk healersfolk healer, healer, herbalist, wise woman, cunning woman
- folk medicinefolk medicine, herbalism, herbal remedies, folk healer, herbal medicine
- Old Healershealer, physician, surgeon, apothecary, midwife
- shamanismshamans, shaman, spirit guide, medicine man, medicine woman
- tribal lifetribe, tribesman, chieftain, tribal chief, tribal elder
- tribal peopletribespeople, tribesman, clan member, clan leaders, clan elders
witch doctormedical doctor
Licensed healthcare practitioner
surgeon · physician · specialist · general practitioner · oncologist
witch doctorscientist
One who studies nature
empiricist · rationalist · skeptic · medical researcher · clinical researcher
doctor, witch, witchcraft, witches, bewitch, bewitched, witching, bewitching, witchy