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voodoo

/ˌvuˈdu/
/ˈvudu/
IPA guide

Other forms: voodoos; voodooed; voodooing

Voodoo is a set of religious beliefs mainly followed by people in Caribbean countries and the Southern United States. People who practice voodoo believe that death is a transition from the visible to the invisible world.

You may see voodoo portrayed on TV and in movies as a scary, violent cult that uses black magic and voodoo dolls to torment people. In reality, voodoo is a varied, community-centered religion with deep African influences, which often incorporates Catholic saint imagery. Voodoo comes from the Louisiana French voudou, ultimately from a West African language.

Definitions of voodoo
  1. noun
    (Haiti) followers of a religion that involves witchcraft and animistic deities
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    type of:
    cult
    followers of an exclusive system of religious beliefs and practices
  2. noun
    a religious cult practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries (especially Haiti); involves witchcraft and animistic deities
    synonyms: hoodooism, vodoun, voodooism
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    types:
    hoodoo
    a practitioner of voodoo
    type of:
    cult, cultus, religious cult
    a system of religious beliefs and rituals
  3. noun
    a charm superstitiously believed to embody magical powers
    synonyms: fetich, fetish, hoodoo, juju
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    type of:
    charm, good luck charm
    something believed to bring good luck
  4. verb
    bewitch by or as if by a voodoo
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    type of:
    bewitch, enchant, ensorcel, ensorcell, glamour, hex, jinx, witch
    cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something
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