variants or less commonly grigri
plural gris-gris ˈgrē-(ˌ)grēz How to pronounce gris-gris (audio) also grigri
: a talisman, amulet, voodoo charm, spell, or incantation believed capable of warding off evil and bringing good luck to oneself or of bringing misfortune to another

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gris-gris was in 1698

Dictionary Entries Near gris-gris

Cite this Entry

“Gris-gris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gris-gris. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on gris-gris

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!