Healer: meaning, definitions and examples

Healer is often used in a broad and sometimes spiritual sense to describe someone who helps others recover from physical, emotional, or spiritual ailments. It can refer to traditional or alternative medical practitioners.

• The village healer prepared a remedy for the sick child.
• She visited a spiritual healer to find peace.

Therapist is used to describe someone professionally trained to help people overcome mental, emotional, or physical issues. They typically have formal education and work in clinical settings.

• She decided to see a therapist to manage her anxiety.
• The physical therapist helped him recover from his injury.

Curer is rarely used in modern English and may sound archaic. It generally describes someone who cures diseases or restores health, often in a practical or straightforward way.

• The medicine man was known as a curer of many ailments.

Mender conveys the act of fixing or repairing something broken. It is not commonly used in the context of health but rather objects or situations.

• He worked as a mender, fixing broken tools.
• She saw him as a mender of broken relationships.

Commonly used in contexts involving physical, emotional, or spiritual recovery, typically by someone with a holistic or alternative approach to medicine.

• She visited a healer to seek relief for her chronic pain.
• The healer used herbs and meditation techniques to help her find balance.

Appropriate when referring to a professional providing guidance, support, and advice, often in emotional, psychological, or career-related situations.

• He decided to see a counselor to talk about his stress at work.
• The school counselor helped her choose the right college.

Used in contexts where someone provides spiritual direction and advice, often helping others on their spiritual journey or path.

• Her spiritual guide suggested daily meditation to deepen her practice.
• He found comfort and direction in the teachings of his spiritual guide.

Typically used in indigenous or historical contexts where a person is believed to interact with the spiritual world through rituals, often involving healing practices.

• The shaman performed a ceremony to heal the sick child.
• She sought the wisdom of the shaman to understand her dreams.

Used generally to describe someone who helps others recover from injuries or illnesses. It can be used in real life or in fantasy settings.

• The healer used herbs to treat the wound
• The village healer is known for his remarkable skills

Used to describe a trained medical professional, often in military or emergency settings.

• The medic arrived on the battlefield to assist the wounded soldiers
• The paramedic quickly administered first aid to the accident victims

Used primarily in gaming to describe a character role that focuses on healing, buffing, or assisting teammates rather than dealing damage.

• I prefer to play a support class to help my team survive longer
• The game features various support classes with different abilities

Used to describe a religious figure who has healing abilities, often in a fantasy or role-playing game setting.

• The cleric prayed to his deity to heal the party
• In the game, my character is a cleric with powerful healing spells