mesmerism

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English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
An 1849 portrait of Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815) by Jules Porreau

Etymology

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From French mesmérisme, analysable as Mesmer +‎ -ism; so called after Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), a German physician who developed the animal magnetism theory.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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mesmerism (countable and uncountable, plural mesmerisms)

  1. The method or power of gaining control over someone's personality or actions, as in hypnosis or suggestion.
  2. The state induced by hypnotic methods (especially that of Mesmer himself).
    • 2010, Mark Twain, Autobiography of Mark Twain, volume 2, page 302:
      ...the fact stood proven that I had seen it in my vision. Lawks! ...When the magician's engagement closed there was but one person in the village who did not believe in mesmerism, and I was the one. All the others were converted, but I was to remain an implacable and unpersuadable disbeliever in mesmerism and hypnotism for close upon fifty years.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Further reading

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Romanian

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Etymology

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Borrowed from French mesmérisme.

Noun

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mesmerism n (uncountable)

  1. mesmerism

Declension

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