abiku
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Yoruba
Etymology
From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bí (“to give birth to”) + kú (“to die”), literally “That which is given birth to and dies”. Cognate with Igala àbíkwú.
Pronunciation
Noun
àbíkú
- In Yoruba tradition, a malevolent spirit that causes the premature death of a child, often successive children. It is often addressed through several rituals. (Compare with ogbanje).
- the act of giving birth to a child who dies prematurely
- infant mortality
- a child who dies prematurely
- child believed to be a reincarnation of a previously deceased àbíkú child
- Synonym: àbíkú ọmọ
Derived terms
- orúkọ àbíkú (“unique names given to abiku children”)
- alábìíkú (“a woman who repeatedly has children who die in infancy”)