Ma'anar ƙamus na "shamanist" yana nufin mutumin da yake aikata shamanism, wanda shine aikin ruhaniya da warkaswa wanda ya ƙunshi haɗi da duniyar ruhu da kuma amfani da kuzari na ruhaniya don dalilai daban-daban. Shamanists yawanci suna amfani da dabaru irin su zuzzurfan tunani, ganguna, rera waƙa, da raye-raye na al'ada don shigar da canjin yanayi na sani da sadarwa tare da ruhohi. Shamanism ya samo asali ne daga al'adu na asali kuma ana aiwatar da shi ta hanyoyi daban-daban a sassa daban-daban na duniya. Shamanist shi ne wanda ya yi riko da wannan tsarin imani kuma yana aikata al'adu da al'adu na shamaniyya.