Zemí
/ˈzeɪ.mi/noun
A sacred spirit or religious object of the Taíno people of the Caribbean.
Did you know?Taíno zemís were not merely idols: they could be stones, wooden figures, bones, or other objects treated as living vessels of supernatural power.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian era
Taíno
zemí
“A spirit, supernatural being, or sacred object embodying spiritual power”
1493–1496
Spanish
cemí / zemí
“A Taíno deity or sacred representation recorded by early Spanish observers”
16th Century
Spanish
cemí
“An Indigenous Caribbean idol or object of worship”
19th Century
English
zemi
“A carved or represented deity of the Taíno”
Modern English
English
zemí
“A Taíno sacred object or spirit, especially one represented in sculpture”