Oxum
/oʊˈʃuːn/noun
A Portuguese spelling of Ọ̀ṣun, the Yoruba orisha associated with fresh water, fertility, beauty, love, and prosperity.
Did you know?The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Nigeria, dedicated to Ọ̀ṣun, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains an active center of Yoruba worship.
Etymological Timeline
Precolonial period
Yoruba
Ọ̀ṣun
“The name of a major Yoruba orisha and the river associated with her worship; the name’s deeper lexical meaning is uncertain.”
15th–16th Century
Yoruba
Ọ̀ṣun River
“A sacred river in southwestern Nigeria connected with the Ọ̀ṣun cult.”
16th–19th Century
Portuguese
Oxum
“A Portuguese rendering of the Yoruba divine name, later used widely in Brazil.”
19th Century
Brazilian Portuguese
Oxum
“An orixá in Candomblé, associated especially with fresh water, fertility, beauty, love, and wealth.”
20th–21st Century
English
Oxum
“An established English-language spelling, particularly in writing about Afro-Brazilian religion and Yoruba traditions.”