voodoo

A religion of West African origin practiced chiefly in Haiti and other Caribbean countries, based on animism, magic, and elements of Roman Catholic ritual, and characterized by belief in a supreme God and a large pantheon of local and tutelary deities, deified ancestors, and saints, who communicate with believers in dreams, trances, and ritual possessions.

A practitioner, priest, or priestess of voodoo.

Deceptive or delusive nonsense.

To place under the influence of a spell or curse; bewitch.

Of or relating to the beliefs or practices of voodoo.

Based on unrealistic or delusive assumptions.

A common name among creoles and in many of the southern United States for any practicer of malicious, defensive, amatory, healing, or soothsaying enchantments, charms, witchcrafts, or secret rites, especially when they are tinctured with African superstitions and customs; especially, one who makes such practices a business.

The same title transferred by voodoos to a personal evil spirit supreme among evil powers.

plural The practicers of voodoo rites as a collective body.

Pertaining to or associated with the superstitions and peculiar practices of the voodoos: as, a voodoo dance (a violent indecent dance belonging to the secret nocturnal ceremonies of the voodoos); a voodoo doctor, or voodoo priest (the terms most commonly used in creole countries for any professional voodoo); voodoo king or queen (the person who, by a certain vague election and tenure, holds for life a local preëminence and some slight, authority over all voodoos of the surrounding country).