obeah

[ oh-bee-uh ]

noun
  1. a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa.

  2. a fetish or charm used in practicing obeah.

Origin of obeah

1
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)

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British Dictionary definitions for obeah

obeah

/ (ˈəʊbɪə) /


noun
  1. 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