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noun Uncommon

voodoo

VOO-doo
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Voodoo (noun) means a religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of Louisiana, blending West African spiritual traditions with Catholic elements. Example: “Her grandmother grew up practicing voodoo in rural Haiti.”

noun
1
A religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of Louisiana, blending West African spiritual traditions with Catholic elements.
"Her grandmother grew up practicing voodoo in rural Haiti."
"The documentary explored the misunderstood rituals of voodoo."
2
Loosely, any approach to a problem that seems magical, superstitious, or hard to justify logically.
"Critics dismissed the new economic plan as pure voodoo."
"He treated his software fix like voodoo — he had no idea why it worked."

How to use voodoo

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA West African-rooted religion, or — used loosely and often dismissively — anything that sounds like magic rather than real logic.

Common mistake

Be careful using it as a casual insult ("that's just voodoo") — it can come across as disrespectful to an actual living religion.

Common pairings
voodoo doll voodoo economics practice voodoo
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Word forms

Plural
voodoos
Third person singular
voodoos
Past tense
voodooed
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Her grandmother grew up practicing _____ in rural Haiti.

Etymology

Traced back through Haitian Creole and French to a West African language (likely Fon or Ewe), where a related word meant "spirit" or "deity."

Origin: French

Synonyms

View more →
juju hoodooism vodoun fetich hoodoo fetish voodooism

Related words

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Rhymes for voodoo

oo too moo poo loo foo doo boo woo roo coo goo
See all rhymes for voodoo →

Frequently asked questions

What does “voodoo” mean?
The word “voodoo” means a religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of Louisiana, blending West African spiritual traditions with Catholic elements. In plain terms, a West African-rooted religion, or — used loosely and often dismissively — anything that sounds like magic rather than real logic.
How do you pronounce “voodoo”?
“Voodoo” is pronounced VOO-doo (/ˈvudu/ in IPA).
How do you use “voodoo” in a sentence?
Here is “voodoo” used in a sentence: “Her grandmother grew up practicing voodoo in rural Haiti.”
What is another word for “voodoo”?
Words with a similar meaning to “voodoo” include voodooism.
What part of speech is “voodoo”?
“Voodoo” is a noun.
Where does the word “voodoo” come from?
The word “voodoo” comes from French. Traced back through Haitian Creole and French to a West African language (likely Fon or Ewe), where a related word meant "spirit" or "deity.".
Is “voodoo” a common word?
“Voodoo” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “voodoo” have?
“Voodoo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a religion practiced mainly in Haiti and parts of Louisiana, blending West African spiritual traditions with Catholic elements.

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