obeah

[ oh-bee-uh ]
/ ˈoʊ bi ə /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR obeah ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa.
a fetish or charm used in practicing obeah.

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Also obi.

Origin of obeah

1750–60; compare Gullah, Jamaican English, Guyanan English, Sranan óbia magic, charm; < a West African language, though precise source unclear; compare Twi ɔ-bayifó sorcerer (compound with -fo person), Igbo díbìà folk healer (compound with dí- expert in)

Words nearby obeah

obduce, obduction, obduracy, obdurate, obe, obeah, obeche, obedience, obedience training, obedience trial, obedient
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to obeah

witchcraft, abracadabra, necromancy, enchantment, hoodoo, spell, sorcery, divination, alchemy, charm, hocus-pocus, jinx, devilry, witchery, wizardry, obi, conjuring

Example sentences from the Web for obeah

British Dictionary definitions for obeah

obeah
/ (ˈəʊbɪə) /

noun

another word for obi 2
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012