Orisha
/oʊˈriːʃə/noun
A deity or spirit in the Yoruba religion, especially in traditions of West Africa and the African diaspora.
Did you know?In Yoruba tradition, oriṣa are sacred intermediaries between humans and the supreme creator, and their names and praise-poetry are treated as spiritually potent speech.
Etymological Timeline
Yoruba
Yoruba
òrìṣà
“a deity, divine spirit, or sacred power”
19th Century
English
orisha
“a Yoruba deity or spirit, especially in descriptions of West African religion”
20th Century
English
Orisha
“a deity or spirit in Yoruba-derived religions in the Americas and Africa”
Modern English
English
orisha
“a Yoruba deity or spirit”