obeah

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A form of folk magic, medicine or witchcraft originating in Africa and practised in parts of the Caribbean.
2. (countable, uncountable) A magician or witch doctor of the magic craft.
3. (countable, uncountable) A spell performed in the practice of the magic craft; an item associated with such a spell.

Verb

To bewitch using this kind of folk magic.

Synonyms

obi

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈəʊbɪə/

Etymology

Cognate with Eastern Maroon Creole: obiya

Cognate with Saramaccan: obia

Cognate with Sranan Tongo: obia

In summary

Uncertain; apparently from a Caribbean creole, probably ultimately from a West African language. The Oxford English Dictionary points to Igbo abià (“knowledge, wisdom”), obìa (“doctor, healer”). Cognate of Aukan obiya, Saramaccan obia, and Sranan Tongo obia.