voodoo

1 of 3

noun

voo·​doo ˈvü-(ˌ)dü 

plural voodoos

1

or less commonly vodou

vō-ˈdü 

: a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti

2

a

: a person who deals in spells and necromancy

b(1)

: a sorcerer's spell : hex

(2)

: a hexed object : charm

voodoo

2 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or practicing voodoo

voodoo rituals

2

: based on highly improbable suppositions : extremely implausible or unrealistic

voodoo economics

voodoo

3 of 3

verb

voodooed; voodooing; voodoos

transitive verb

: to bewitch by or as if by means of voodoo : hex

Synonyms

Noun

• charmer
• conjurer
• conjuror
• enchanter
• mage
• Magian
• magician
• magus
• necromancer
• sorcerer
• voodooist
• witch
• wizard

Examples of voodoo in a Sentence

Noun

found a voodoo who was willing to put a hex on the man who had jilted her

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Just last week, a gang leader ordered the slaughter of more than 200 people in one of Port-au-Prince’s poorest neighborhoods in an attack that targeted voodoo priests. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024

The origin story centers on Kraven's upbringing under a ruthless crime lord dad (Russell Crowe) and journey to become the world's greatest hunter, with Ariana DeBose as voodoo priestess Calypso and Alessandro Nivola as villainous Rhino. —Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024

Adjective

After years of surgeries, setbacks, injuries, and freak accidents that prompted then-Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to ask if someone had a voodoo doll, Chris Sale has finally reached the mountaintop. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 21 Nov. 2024

Nebraska doesn't need a 'voodoo doll' to right last season's wrongs Plentiful leadership Robinson, center Ben Scott and safety Isaac Gifford represented Nebraska in Indianapolis last week, a nod from Rhule for their decisions to return at Nebraska over opportunities to get to the NFL. —Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 1 Aug. 2024

Verb

Despite his clearly enjoying killing people for personal reasons, the movie’s Kraven seems to think of himself as a kind of antihero, which voodoo practitioner Calypso (Ariana DeBose) rightfully clocks as a red flag. —Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 20 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Louisiana Creole voudou, probably from Ewe vódũ tutelary deity

First Known Use

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

voodoo

noun

voo·​doo

ˈvüd-ü

plural voodoos

1

: a religion that is based on African ancestor worship and practiced chiefly in Haiti

2

: a person who deals in spells and magic

voodoo adjective

Etymology

Noun

from Louisiana French voudou "voodoo"; of African origin