animal magnetism noun 1. a.: a spiritlike force alleged by the Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815) to reside within himself and to be active in his use of therapeutical hypnosis — compare mesmerism b.: a spiritlike force held to reside in some individuals by the emanation of which a strong quasi-hypnotic influence can assertedly be exerted over others 2.Christian Science: error, mortal mind