Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A religion practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries, especially Haiti, syncretized from Roman Catholic ritual elements and the animism and magic of slaves from West Africa, in which a supreme God rules a large pantheon of local and tutelary deities, deified ancestors, and saints, who communicate with believers in dreams, trances, and ritual possessions. Also called vodoun.
- n. A charm, fetish, spell, or curse holding magic power for adherents of voodoo.
- n. A practitioner, priest, or priestess of voodoo.
- n. Deceptive or delusive nonsense.
- transitive v. To place under the influence of a spell or curse; bewitch.
- adj. Of or relating to the beliefs or practices of voodoo.
- adj. Based on unrealistic or delusive assumptions: voodoo economics.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A religion of the Ewe/Fon of West Africa, practiced chiefly in Benin.
- n. Any of a group of related religious practices found chiefly in and around the Caribbean, particularly in Haiti and Louisiana.
- n. Any sort of magical or irrational approach to a problem.
- v. To enchant someone or something using voodoo
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- adj. Of or pertaining to voodooism, or a voodoo.
- n. See voodooism.
- n. One who practices voodooism; a negro sorcerer.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. 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.
- n. The same title transferred by voodoos to a personal evil spirit supreme among evil powers.
- n. 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).
- To affect by voodoo conjuration or charms.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. a charm superstitiously believed to embody magical powers
- n. a religious cult practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries (especially Haiti); involves witchcraft and animistic deities
- v. bewitch by or as if by a voodoo
- n. (Haiti) followers of a religion that involves witchcraft and animistic deities
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Examples
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The word is vodun in Creole French, the source of the word voodoo as it is misinterpreted and misrepresented in English and Western thought.
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HOODOO A variation of the word voodoo used commonly in the southern United States.
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Unfortunately, as a result of the sensational and inaccurate interpretations in the media, Hollywood in particular, the word voodoo has come to represent a fantasy of black magic and sorcery.
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The word voodoo comes from the Fon language of Dahomey now Benin and Togo.
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Pietrus, born on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, received some treatments on his wrists from what he described as a voodoo priestess this offseason instead of having surgery on his left one.
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Wait, he’s the one who used the term voodoo economics, then became VP to the one he accused.
Think Progress » Former President Bush Blames ‘Bloggers’ for ‘Ugly’ Political Climate
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That free market voodoo is gonna kick in any day now.
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Oh yeah, and voodoo is just a blending of African folk beliefs with some Catholic traditions (i.e. certain saints, rituals, etc..).
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Montgomery: “When a person dies and is buried, its seems there are certain voodoo priests who … who have the power to bring him back to life.”
New White House strategy: Sauve Qui Peut. - Moe_Lane’s blog - RedState
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FRANK DEFORD: I dont believe in voodoo or evil eyes or curses - especially in sports.
john commented on the word voodoo
“The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military fighter flown by the USAF and the RCAF. Initially designed as a long-range bomber escort (known as a penetration fighter) for the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the Voodoo served in a variety of other roles, including that of an all-weather interceptor aircraft with the Air Defense Command / Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) and fighter bomber and photo reconnaissance roles with the Tactical Air Command (TAC).�? More on Wikipedia.
December 30, 2008
john commented on the word voodoo
“The McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo was a long-range, twin-engine jet fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. Although it never entered service, its design was adapted for the subsequent F-101 Voodoo.�? More on Wikipedia.
December 30, 2008
reesetee commented on the word voodoo
Hoohoo? Heehee.
June 1, 2008
bilby commented on the word voodoo
Don't cry dontcry.
June 1, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
Boohoo.
May 31, 2008
pterodactyl commented on the word voodoo
Labyrinth! Yes. And it also reminds me of Blazing Saddles. "Go do that voodoo that you do so well!"
Oh, and dontcry? Hoodoo.
May 31, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
Thanks, rt -- I went off the deep end for a minute there. I'm back now. *clearing throat, fidgeting in chair.*
May 30, 2008
bilby commented on the word voodoo
hooroo
May 30, 2008
reesetee commented on the word voodoo
Dontcry, you all right there? Need a lozenge?
May 30, 2008
plethora commented on the word voodoo
This reminds me of Labyrinth.
"You remind me of the babe."
"What babe?"
"The babe with the power."
"What power?"
"The power of voodoo."
"Who do?"
"You do."
"What?"
"Remind me of the babe."
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
froofroo
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
doodoo
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
booboo
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
zoopoo
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
toodoo
May 30, 2008
dontcry commented on the word voodoo
moomoo
May 30, 2008