Loa
/ˈləʊ.ə/noun
A short laudatory dramatic piece or prologue, especially in Spanish and early modern theater; in English, “loa” can also refer to a spirit in Haitian Vodou.
Did you know?The theatrical sense comes from Spanish religious and dramatic tradition, while the Vodou sense is a separate borrowing connected with Haitian Creole lwa, so the two meanings are not historically related.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lewH-
“A reconstructed root associated with praising or valuing; its precise development is debated.”
Classical Latin
Latin
laus, laudis
“Praise, honor, or glory.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
lauda
“A hymn or song of praise, especially in Christian devotional use.”
15th–16th Century
Spanish
loa
“Praise; a laudatory dramatic prologue performed before a play.”
17th–18th Century
English
loa
“A short Spanish-style prologue or piece of praise adopted into English theatrical vocabulary.”
20th Century
English
loa
“Also used as an English spelling of Haitian Creole lwa, a spirit or divine intermediary in Vodou.”