hoodoo

1 of 2

noun

hoo·​doo ˈhü-(ˌ)dü 

plural hoodoos

1

: a body of practices of sympathetic magic traditional especially among African Americans in the southern U.S.

2

: a natural column of rock in western North America often in fantastic form

3

: something that brings bad luck

4

: nonsense, hokum

hoodooism

ˈhü-(ˌ)dü-ˌi-zəm 

noun

hoodoo

2 of 2

verb

hoodooed; hoodooing; hoodoos

transitive verb

: to cast a spell on

broadly : to bring bad luck to

Examples of hoodoo in a Sentence

Noun

some economists have characterized the proposal as economic hoodoo that should be hooted down

some hoodoo must be at work—I lost both sets of house keys

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Given the play-off hoodoo hanging over the club, early confirmation of a top-two finish would be the ideal outcome. —Nancy Froston, The Athletic, 8 Aug. 2024

These striking vistas are two of the most iconic in the park, allowing visitors to gaze out at innumerable red rock hoodoos and the limb-like roots of scrubby limber pines spanning for miles across the canyon’s main amphitheater. —Emily Pennington, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Feb. 2023

Verb

Take two days to experience the best of the Paunsaugunt Plateau’s hoodoo rock spires. —Jonathan Olivier, Outside Online, 10 Oct. 2022

It’s made with Agave de Cortes, King State espresso, hoodoo, and cinnamon. —Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps alteration of voodoo

First Known Use

Noun

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hoodoo

noun

hoo·​doo

ˈhüd-ü

plural hoodoos

1

: voodooism sense 1

2

: something that brings bad luck

hoodoo verb

hoodooism

-ˌiz-əm

noun

Etymology

Noun

perhaps an altered form of voodoo