Miko
/ˈmiːkoʊ/noun
A Japanese shrine maiden who assists with rituals, ceremonies, and shrine activities.
Did you know?In early Japan, miko were associated with possession and ecstatic communication, reportedly conveying messages from kami before later shrine institutions formalized their role.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Japanese
Old Japanese
miko
“A female spirit-medium or ritual specialist; the earliest pronunciation is reconstructed from early Japanese texts.”
8th Century
Classical Japanese
巫女
“Literally written with characters meaning “shaman” and “woman”; the term referred to women who mediated between humans and kami.”
Heian Period
Japanese
巫女
“A woman associated with shrine ritual, divination, spirit possession, and sacred performance.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
巫女
“A shrine-associated ritual worker whose duties could include dancing, purification, divination, and assisting priests.”
Modern English
English
miko
“A Japanese shrine maiden, generally translated as a female shrine attendant or priestess.”