Pronunciation: [mˈɛsməɹˌɪst] (IPA) 
The word "mesmerist" is spelled with the letters m-e-s-m-e-r-i-s-t. It is pronounced /ˈmɛzmərɪst/ and is a noun that refers to a person who practices mesmerism, a type of hypnotism. The word has its origins in the name of Franz Anton Mesmer, an Austrian physician who developed a theory of "animal magnetism" in the 18th century. The suffix "-ist" indicates a practitioner or follower of a particular doctrine or philosophy.
A mesmerist refers to a practitioner or believer of mesmerism, a practice named after Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician. Mesmerism, also known as animal magnetism, is a method supposedly capable of inducing a trance-like state or influencing another person's thoughts, sensations, or behavior through the use of suggestion and personal influence.
Mesmerists typically employ a variety of techniques, such as verbal suggestion, hand gestures, or visual aids, to induce a state of mesmerization in their subjects. This state involves a deep focus and heightened susceptibility to the mesmerist's suggestions, which can manifest as physical relaxation, mental clarity, or even altered perceptions. By utilizing these methods, a mesmerist can supposedly manipulate the subject's thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations to facilitate various forms of therapeutic or psychological interventions.
While mesmerism and its practitioners were popular during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the practice has largely fallen out of mainstream medical and scientific acceptance today. Many of its concepts and techniques have been absorbed into modern forms of hypnosis and psychological suggestion, which are recognized as legitimate therapeutic tools. Nonetheless, the term "mesmerist" is still occasionally used to describe individuals who engage in similar practices, either as a form of entertainment, alternative medicine, or as a subject of historical inquiry into the development of psychological theories and therapeutic practices.
One who practises mesmerism or believes in it.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "mesmerist" is derived from the name of Franz Anton Mesmer, an 18th-century German physician who is considered the pioneer of a type of healing therapy that involved manipulating an individual's animal magnetism or life force. Mesmer's controversial techniques, known as mesmerism, involved passing his hands over the body of a patient to create an energetic connection and provoke certain healing effects. The term "mesmerist" thus emerged as a label for practitioners or believers in this philosophy and healing practice.
