Voodoo
/ˈvuːduː/noun
A system of religious beliefs and practices of West African origin, especially as developed in Haiti and parts of the Americas.
Did you know?The word entered English through French and was used by outsiders to label Haitian and West African spiritual traditions, which is why its history is as much about colonial misunderstanding as religion.
Etymological Timeline
West African origins
Fon/Ewe
vodun
“a spirit or deity”
17th–18th Century
French
vaudou / vodou
“a term used for African-derived religious practices in the Caribbean”
18th–19th Century
English
voodoo
“a spelling adopted from French for Haitian and related Afro-Caribbean religions”
20th Century
English
voodoo
“popularly generalized in English, often inaccurately, to mean magic, trickery, or a curse”