Main Entry:

obe·ah

Pronunciation:

\ˈō-bē-ə\

Variant(s):

also obi \ˈō-bē\

Function:

noun

Usage:

often capitalized

Etymology:

of African origin; akin to Ibo díbìà folk healer

Date:

circa 1711

: a system of belief among blacks chiefly of the British West Indies and the Guianas that is characterized by the use of magic ritual to ward off misfortune or to cause harm