obeah
A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and practised in…A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and practised in parts of the Caribbean.
Meaning
3 senses(countable, uncountable)A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and practised in parts of the Caribbean.
(countable, uncountable)A magician or witch doctor of the magic craft.
(countable, uncountable)A spell performed in the practice of the magic craft; an item associated with such a spell.
- a religious belief of African origin involving witchcraft and sorcery; practiced in parts of the West Indies and tropical Americas
- (West Indies) followers of a religious system involving witchcraft and sorcery
Origin
Uncertain; apparently from a Caribbean creole, probably ultimately from a West African lanUncertain; apparently from a Caribbean creole, probably ultimately from a West African language. The Oxford English Dictionary points to Igbo abià (“knowledge, wisdom”), obìa (“doctor, healer”). Cognate of Aukan obiya, Saramaccan obia, and Sranan Tongo obia.
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Forms
plural: obeahsSynonyms
42 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable