The term "Kannushi," which today is generally used to refer to Shinto priests, originally referred to the professional group responsible for deciding the status of the gods, much as one might expect from the Chinese characters used--神主, or literally "god-master."
現在、神職の一般呼称である「神主（かんぬし）」とは、本来、文字通り神掛かる役目を持つ職のことであった。