Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various spirits in West African and especially Yoruban religious belief that can interact directly with human beings, often ritually invoked to influence human affairs or communicate messages from the spirit world.
  • noun Any of various similar spirits in African-based syncretic religions such as Santería and Candomblé, often in which traditional African spirits are identified with Roman Catholic saints.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A divine entity that possesses the supernatural capability of reflecting some of the manifestations of Olódùmarè

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Yoruba òrìṣà.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Yoruba Òrìṣà, literally ‘owner of chis’.

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Examples

  • During the asiento, it’s considered a blessing if the initiate becomes possessed by his or her orisha, which is referred to as being mounted or ridden.

    Where To Park Your Broomstick Lauren Manoy 2002

  • During the asiento, it’s considered a blessing if the initiate becomes possessed by his or her orisha, which is referred to as being mounted or ridden.

    Where To Park Your Broomstick Lauren Manoy 2002

  • Perhaps Yemanjá, the Yoruba great orisha of the waters, in the hope that the sympathetic magic of the name will work.

    Athena Andreadis, Ph.D.: Once Again With Feeling: The Planets of Gliese 581 Ph.D. Athena Andreadis 2010

  • Perhaps Yemanjá, the Yoruba great orisha of the waters, in the hope that the sympathetic magic of the name will work.

    Athena Andreadis, Ph.D.: Once Again With Feeling: The Planets of Gliese 581 Ph.D. Athena Andreadis 2010

  • The siguaraya is a Cuban bush -- considered an orisha in the Santeria religion -- which figures in the the title of a famous song, Mata Siguaraya, sung by Celia Cruz and others.

    Yoani Sanchez: Gimme Cable! Yoani Sanchez 2011

  • In this form, goddess Māri is very similar to Sitala Devi2, her counterpart in North India and the orisha Babalu Aye of the Yoruba tradition.

    Archive 2009-05-01 photographerno1 2009

  • She left us in the company of an old man who served as guide and offered to come back for us in a couple of hours so that she could accompany us to the most sacred shrine of all - that of the orisha Oshun herself.

    Archive 2005-04-01 Sharon Bakar 2005

  • Dancer interprets Oshun orisha, or deity of love, sensuality, and the river.

    CNN Transcript Jul 14, 2007 2007

  • She left us in the company of an old man who served as guide and offered to come back for us in a couple of hours so that she could accompany us to the most sacred shrine of all - that of the orisha Oshun herself.

    Meeting Oshun Sharon Bakar 2005

  • In the Yoruba religion, Yemayá is the orisha deity of oceans.

    All praise is due to the Supreme 2006

Comments

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  • "An Orisha (also spelled Orisa and Orixá) is a spirit which reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare (God) in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system. This religion has found its way throughout the world and is now expressed in several varieties which include Anago, Oyotunji, Candomblé and Lucumí/Santería."

    - Wikipedia

    October 22, 2007