A person thought to be possessed by a spirit or demon; someone believed to be under the control of an external spiritual force (archaic or theological term).
From Late Latin energumenos, from Greek energoumenos 'one who is worked upon, possessed,' from energein 'to work in or on' (en- 'in' + ergon 'work'). Literally means 'one whom a spirit works through.'
The word 'energumen' reveals that 'energy' originally meant 'divine action working in or through someone'—what looked like spirit possession was literally 'energeia' (divine activity) possessing a body, making the word deeply theological.
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