Refers to a person who is revered or treated as if they were a deity while still alive. Often used for exceptionally charismatic or saintly figures, or in religious contexts where a person is believed to be a divine incarnation.
He was worshipped by the villagers like a living god.
The saint was regarded as a living god, and many followers visited.
Compound of 生き (iki, 'living') + 神 (kami, 'god'), with rendaku voicing of 神 to がみ. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the concept of living deified humans appears in various religious and folk traditions.