Voodoo

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈvuːduː/

Origin

From Louisiana French voudou, from Haitian Creole vodou, from West African, such as Ewe (Dahomey and Togo) vódũ ‘deity, idol’, Fon vodū ‘fetish’, vodun, Kwa vodũ.

Full definition of voodoo

Noun

1. A religion of the Ewe/Fon of West Africa, practiced chiefly in Benin.
2. Any of a group of related religious practices found chiefly in and around the Caribbean, particularly in Haiti and Louisiana.
3. (pejorative) Any sort of magical or irrational approach to a problem.I want a real explanation, not this statistical voodoo.
4. (dated) One who practices voodoo; a native sorcerer.

Alternative forms

• (religion of Africa or the Americas) vodoun, voudoun, vodun, voudou, Voodoo

Synonyms

• (religion) voodooism

Derived terms

• voodoo death
• voodoo doll
• voodoo economics
• voodooism
• voodooist
• voodoo programming
• voodoo science

Verb

1. To bewitch someone or something using voodooHe claimed his neighbor had voodooed him.