Orisa
/ɔ̀rìʃà/noun
A divine being or sacred spiritual power in Yoruba religion and related traditions.
Did you know?Òrìṣà are not merely distant deities: in Yoruba religious thought, they can embody natural forces, moral principles, ancestral connections, and channels through which àṣẹ—spiritual power—moves.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-colonial Yoruba
Yoruba
òrìṣà
“A divine power, spiritual being, or sacred intermediary within Yoruba religious thought.”
18th–19th Century
Yoruba
òrìṣà
“The established Yoruba term used for diverse sacred beings associated with particular forces, places, communities, and traditions.”
19th Century
English
orisha
“An English transliteration of the Yoruba term, popularized through writings on Yoruba religion and the African diaspora.”
19th–20th Century
Portuguese
orixá
“A Portuguese spelling used especially in accounts of Afro-Brazilian religions such as Candomblé.”
Modern English
English
orisa
“A less common English spelling variant of orisha, referring to a Yoruba or Yoruba-derived sacred being or power.”