mesmer

noun

1. Franz [frants, franz; German frahnts] /frænts, frænz; German frɑnts/or Frie·drich An·ton [free-drik an-tn, -ton; German free-drikh ahn-tohn] /ˈfri drɪk ˈæn tn, -tɒn; German ˈfri drɪx ˈɑn toʊn/, 1733–1815, Austrian physician.

1. Austrian physician who sought to treat disease through animal magnetism, an early therapeutic application of hypnotism.