obeah

UK: /ˈəʊbɪə/ US: (ō′bē ə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

o•be•ah  (ō′bē ə), n. 

1. Anthropology a form of belief involving sorcery, practiced in parts of the West Indies, South America, the southern U.S., and Africa.
2. Anthropology a fetish or charm used in practicing obeah.

Also, obi. 

• a West African language, though precise source unclear; compare Twi ɔ-bayifó sorcerer (compound with -fo person), Igbo díbìà folk healer (compound with dí- expert in)
• 1750–60; compare Gullah, Jamaican English, Guyanan English, Sranan óbia magic, charm;

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

obeah / ˈəʊbɪə/ noun

1. another word for obi2

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

o•bi¹  (ō′bē; Japn. ô′bē), n., pl. o•bis, o•bi. 

1. Clothing a long, broad sash tied about the waist over a Japanese kimono.

• Japanese: girdle, gird (verb, verbal)
• 1875–80

o•bi²  (ō′bē), n., pl. o•bis. 

1. Anthropology obeah.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

obi / ˈəʊbɪ/ noun (obis, obi)

1. a broad sash tied in a large flat bow at the back, worn by Japanese women and children as part of the national costume

Etymology: 19th Century: from Japanese

obi / ˈəʊbɪ/, obeah noun (obis, obeahs)

1. a kind of witchcraft originating in Africa and practised by some people in the Caribbean
2. a charm or amulet used in this

Etymology: of West African origin; compare Edo obi poison

ˈobiism, ˈobeahism, ˈobeism noun