From Proto-Tungusic *samān (“shaman”), compare Nanai сама̄н (samān) and Manchu ᠰᠠᠮᠠᠨ (saman) etc. Probably from Sanskrit श्रमण (śramaṇa, “ascetic, monk, Sramana”) or Pali samaṇa, likely via Middle Chinese 沙門 (shāmén).
An alternative theory derives the Proto-Tungusic word from an ancestor of Nivkh чам (ț’am, “eagle, shaman”), but the direction of the borrowing is usually taken to be the reverse.
сама̄н • (samān)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | сама̄н (samān) | сама̄сэл (samāsəl) |
| genitive | сама̄нӈи (samānŋi) | сама̄сэлӈи (samāsəlŋi) |
| definite accusative | сама̄нмэ (samānmə) | сама̄сэлвэ (samāsəlwə) |
| indefinite accusative | сама̄нэ (samānə) | сама̄сэлэ (samāsələ) |
| instrumental | сама̄нди (samānʒi) | сама̄сэлди (samāsəlʒi) |
| comitative | сама̄ннун (samānnun) | сама̄сэлнун (samāsəlnun) |
| dative-locative | сама̄ндӯ (samāndū) | сама̄сэлдӯ (samāsəldū) |
| locative | сама̄ндула̄ (samāndulā) | сама̄сэлдула̄ (samāsəldulā) |
| locative-allative | сама̄нтыкӣ (samāntikī) | сама̄сэлтыкӣ (samāsəltikī) |
| ablative | сама̄ндук (samānduk) | сама̄сэлдук (samāsəlduk) |
| elative | сама̄нгит (samāngit) | сама̄сэлгит (samāsəlgit) |
| prolative | сама̄ндулӣ (samāndulī) | сама̄сэлдулӣ (samāsəldulī) |
| locative-directive | сама̄кла̄ (samāklā) | сама̄сэликла̄ (samāsəliklā) |
| allative-prolative | сама̄клӣ (samāklī) | сама̄сэликлӣ (samāsəliklī) |
From a Turkic language. See Turkish saman.
сама́н • (samán) m inan (genitive сама́на, nominative plural сама́ны, genitive plural сама́нов, relational adjective сама́нный)
саман • (saman)
V. verbickij, editor (1884), “саман”, in Slovarʹ Altajskago i Aladagskago narečij tjurkskago jazyka [Altaian and Aladagian language Dictionary], Kazan', →ISBN