Exorcist

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Exorcist \Ex"or*cist\ (-s[i^]st), n. [L. exorcista, Gr.
     'exorkisth`s: cf. F. exorciste.]
     1. One who expels evil spirits by conjuration or exorcism.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists. --Acts xix.


                                                    13.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A conjurer who can raise spirits. [R.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up
              My mortified spirit.                  --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  exorcist
       n 1: one the minor orders in the unreformed Western Church but
            now suppressed in the Roman Catholic Church
       2: someone who practices exorcism [syn: {exorciser}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  30 Moby Thesaurus words for "exorcist":
     acolyte, acolytus, deacon, diaconus, doorkeeper, exorciser,
     exorcista, holy orders, lector, major orders, medicine man,
     minor orders, mundunugu, obeah doctor, ostiarius, presbyter,
     priest, reader, shaman, shamanist, subdeacon, subdiaconus,
     unspeller, voodoo, voodooist, wangateur, witch doctor,
     witch master, witch-finder, witchman
  
  

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Exorcist
     (Acts 19:13). "In that sceptical and therefore superstitious age
     professional exorcist abounded. Many of these professional
     exorcists were disreputable Jews, like Simon in Samaria and
     Elymas in Cyprus (8:9; 13:6)." Other references to exorcism as
     practised by the Jews are found in Matt. 12:27; Mark 9:38; Luke
     9:49, 50. It would seem that it was an opinion among the Jews
     that miracles might be wrought by invoking the divine name. Thus
     also these "vagabond Jews" pretended that they could expel
     daemons.
     
       The power of casting out devils was conferred by Christ on his
     apostles (Matt. 10:8), and on the seventy (Luke 10:17-19), and
     was exercised by believers after his ascension (Mark 16:17; Acts
     16:18); but this power was never spoken of as exorcism.