First recorded in 1980–85; from Latin American Spanish, equivalent to santer(o) “person practicing Santería” ( Spanish sant(o) saint + -ero, from Latin -ārius -ary ) + -ía -ia
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Lucumí is all about survival and care,” explained Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesús, a professor of American studies at Princeton University and author of “Electric Santería: Racial and Sexual Assemblages of Transnational Religion.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2025
Depictions of roses, a skull, a goat and a Santería evil eye dance around them, illuminated in sepia spotlights and looking like they could have come straight from a deck of tarot cards.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 6, 2023
Perhaps the brightest of the girls, Squeeze, of Puerto Rican and Haitian background, discusses the fine points of Santería practice with Pipe, who wants the club rituals to open a portal to the supernatural.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2023
In the 1990s when Cuba’s main ally, the Soviet Union, collapsed and the island spiraled into economic crisis, many Cubans found solace in Santería.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 9, 2023
The ones who wear white are following the Santería tradition.
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
Santeria devotees dance and slap drums in a museum filled with statues, paying homage to their Afro-Cuban deities.
From Seattle Times ● May 16, 2024
As in Baroque paintings of saints, each is depicted with symbolic attributes: Gilmore and Puar with books; Padilla with a compact Santeria altar.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023
“Let’s talk about Voodoo and Santeria and how they’ve been demonized through history and why they’ve been demonized,” she said.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 2, 2022
Growing up with grandparents who were from Cuba, who practiced Santeria, I think traditions and celebrations have always been interesting to me.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2022
Unregistered evangelical churches, Mr. Dahlgren said, face “fake charges, and other sorts of really harsh repression mechanism” because of their status, as do followers of Santeria and Yoruba and Palo Mayombe.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 3, 2022
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