babaylan

English

Noun

babaylan (plural babaylans)

1. A Philippine shaman.

Cebuano

Etymology

From an initial reduplication of baylan, from Western Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *balian (“shaman”). Compare Malay belian. Possibly related to babaye.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧bay‧lan
• IPA^(key): /baˈbajlan/ [baˈbai̯.l̪an̪]

Noun

babáylan (Badlit spelling ᜊᜊᜌ᜔ᜎᜈ᜔)

1. A shaman, priestess, healer, or spiritual medium in Visayan traditional religion, who mediates between the physical world and the spirit realm (communicating with the diwata and umalagad).
2. (historical) in pre-colonial Visayas; a woman, sometimes an effeminate man, who functioned as a village priestess or medium

See also

• sukdan (“Bohol shaman”)

Hiligaynon

Noun

babáylan

1. healer, shaman

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Cebuano babaylan, from Western Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *balian (“shaman”). Compare Ilocano baglan, Hanunoo balyanan, Central Bikol balyan, Maranao waliyan, Malay belian, Central Dusun bobohizan, and Balinese balian.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /babajˈlan/ [bɐ.baɪ̯ˈlan̪]
• Rhymes: -an
• Syllabification: ba‧bay‧lan

Noun

babaylán (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊᜌ᜔ᜎᜈ᜔) (historical)

1. shamaness; female shaman

   Synonyms: katalonan, katalona, anitera

See also

• albularyo

Further reading

• “babaylan”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “babaylan”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018