Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Dị ka "Oxford English Dictionary" si kwuo, shaman (ma ọ bụ) bụ onye a na-ewere dị ka onye nwere ohere, na mmetụta n'ime, ụwa nke ndị mmụọ na-eme ihe ọma na ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ, onye na-abanyekarị n'ọnọdụ nrọ n'oge ememe, ma na-eme ịkọ ọdịnihu na ọgwụgwọ. O yiri ka okwu ahụ bụ́ "shaman" ò sitere n'asụsụ Tungusic Evenki nke Ebe Ugwu Eshia. Dabere na ethnolinguist Juha Janhunen, "okwu a na-agba akaebe na asụsụ Tungusic niile" dị ka Negidal, Lamut, Udehe / Orochi, Nanai, Ilcha, Orok, Manchu na Ulcha, na "ọ dịghị ihe yiri ka ọ na-emegide echiche ahụ na ihe ọ pụtara'shaman' na-esite na Proto-Tungusic" ma nwee ike inwe mgbọrọgwụ nke gbatịrị azụ n'oge opekata mpe puku afọ abụọ. E webatara okwu a n'ebe ọdịda anyanwụ mgbe ndị agha Russia
meriri Khanate nke Kazan na 1552.