A person who believes they can communicate with the spirits of dead people, often through séances or special sessions.
From spiritual (from Latin spiritualis, 'of the spirit') + -ist (one who practices). The term emerged in the 19th century when séances became popular in Europe and America.
Spiritualism was huge in the 1800s—even famous people like Queen Victoria were obsessed with séances after losing loved ones. Many spiritualists were exposed as frauds using trick tables and hidden assistants, but the movement shaped how we think about grief and the supernatural today.
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