orisha
noun
ori·sha
ˈȯr-ə-ˌshä 
plural orishas also orisha
: a Yoruba deity
also
: one identified with a Roman Catholic saint in Santeria
Examples of orisha in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To me, the green, the land, the river and the railroad tracks are all really important because these elements of the natural world are representative of aspects of the orishas.
—
Yasmina Price, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Angélique Kidjo leads a cast of 10 in the central role of a Yoruban orisha (or spirit).
—Washington Post, 9 May 2021
During this commemoration in 2016, as hundreds of thousands of devotees prayed to this orisha in an hours-long festivity that always takes place on the beachfront of the Rio Vermelho neighborhood, Cintia Maria, a regular goer, felt deeply bothered.
—Beatriz Miranda, refinery29.com, 2 Feb. 2023
Angélique Kidjo leads a cast of 10 in the central role of a Yoruban orisha (or spirit) in the production, which makes its Washington bow May 6 and 7 at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater.
—Washington Post, 4 May 2022
An intermediary orisha, Esu serves as the messenger between the priest and Ifa, as the two spirits are close companions to each other.
—NOLA.com, 1 Sep. 2020
The carved face on the tray represents an orisha, Esu, a messenger from the deities.
—NOLA.com, 1 Sep. 2020
The paintings are inspired in part by an orisha (god) in the West African religion of Yoruba named Ori, which means head.
—Darryl Ratcliff, Dallas News, 13 May 2020
Oxum is the orisha of love, commonly represented as a woman dressed in yellow and holding a mirror.
—Kiratiana Freelon, The Root, 16 Dec. 2017
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Yasmina Price, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Angélique Kidjo leads a cast of 10 in the central role of a Yoruban orisha (or spirit).
—Washington Post, 9 May 2021
During this commemoration in 2016, as hundreds of thousands of devotees prayed to this orisha in an hours-long festivity that always takes place on the beachfront of the Rio Vermelho neighborhood, Cintia Maria, a regular goer, felt deeply bothered.
—Beatriz Miranda, refinery29.com, 2 Feb. 2023
Angélique Kidjo leads a cast of 10 in the central role of a Yoruban orisha (or spirit) in the production, which makes its Washington bow May 6 and 7 at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater.
—Washington Post, 4 May 2022
An intermediary orisha, Esu serves as the messenger between the priest and Ifa, as the two spirits are close companions to each other.
—NOLA.com, 1 Sep. 2020
The carved face on the tray represents an orisha, Esu, a messenger from the deities.
—NOLA.com, 1 Sep. 2020
The paintings are inspired in part by an orisha (god) in the West African religion of Yoruba named Ori, which means head.
—Darryl Ratcliff, Dallas News, 13 May 2020
Oxum is the orisha of love, commonly represented as a woman dressed in yellow and holding a mirror.
—Kiratiana Freelon, The Root, 16 Dec. 2017
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'orisha.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Yoruba òrìṣà
First Known Use
1854, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near orisha
Cite this Entry
“Orisha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orisha. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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