Voudoun

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A religious practice rooted in West African traditions that centers on the reverence of spirits and the influence of ancestors on daily life
2. An animistic faith that emphasizes the relationship with divine spirits and the continuation of ancestral customs within community rituals
3. A spiritual tradition originating from West Africa that involves the worship of spirits and the practice of rituals to honor ancestors

Etymology: In the Fon language of what is now Benin, "vòdún" meant something like "fetish," while in Ewe, "vódũ" meant "deity" or "idol." Related Kwa-language words share this sense of a sacred power or spirit, and several West African languages are possible sources. From there the term passed through Haitian Creole "Vodou" and Louisiana Creole "voudou" before reaching English as "voodoo." "Voudoun" is an alternative spelling of the same word. It names the faith and its ritual community, while the older African senses referred to the spirit or object itself.