bruja

American  

[broo-huh, broo-khah] / ˈbru hə, ˈbru xɑ /

noun

brujas plural

1. in Latin America and parts of the West Indies, a woman who practices Brujería, a form of witchcraft or traditional religion.

   Many in the town believe she is a bruja who uses her herbal cures for good.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• brujas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bruja

First recorded in 1825–35; from Spanish: “owl, witch,” of disputed origin; perhaps from a pre-Roman Celtic term relating to severe weather (akin to Catalan calabruix “hail”); alternatively, possibly distantly akin to Irish briosag “witch” or briocht “amulet, charm”; compare Aragonese broxa, Catalan bruixa, Gascon broucho, Occitan bruèissa, Portuguese bruxa

Example Sentences

Lafayette is living with his warlock boyfriend Jesus, who prefers to be called a "bruja" because he is Mexican.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2011

But when the Yaqui recommended that he see a Puerto Rican bruja about a cure.

From Time Magazine Archive

Doctors can do little for the pangs of unlucky love, but any bruja worth her fee knows that a dried hummingbird pinned inside a girl's dress will usually bring back a strayed lover.

From Time Magazine Archive

Women said, “Can you beat it, the bruja is knocking on our door once more.”

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

In fact, up until this very moment, your daughter has been a bruja to me.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles