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energumen (en-uhr-GYOO-men) - n., a person thought to be possessed by an evil spirit; a fanatical devotee or enthusiast.
The words you can learn from reading the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. One dictionary adds this: "specifically, one belonging to a Christian church in the first centuries and placed in a special class ministered to by exorcists and allowed limited participation in common worship," which makes me at least go "wait what now?" I'll see if I can find out more. An English word since the late 17th century, from Latin energumenus, one possessed by an evil spirit, from Late Greek energoumenos, from Ancient Greek energéō, to influence.
---L.
The words you can learn from reading the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. One dictionary adds this: "specifically, one belonging to a Christian church in the first centuries and placed in a special class ministered to by exorcists and allowed limited participation in common worship," which makes me at least go "wait what now?" I'll see if I can find out more. An English word since the late 17th century, from Latin energumenus, one possessed by an evil spirit, from Late Greek energoumenos, from Ancient Greek energéō, to influence.
---L.
