macumba

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macumba

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Borrowed from Portuguese macumba (“macumba; curse”), from Kimbundu makôba (or a related Bantu language of western Central Africa).

macumba (plural macumbas)

1. A type of Afro-Brazilian folk religion combining elements of Roman Catholicism with traditional African religious beliefs and practices; or a specific cult or ceremony of such religion.
   • 1988, Jorge Amado, translated by Gregory Rabassa, Captains of the Sands, Penguin, published 2013, page 79:

     And later on at the Gantóis macumba, Omolu, bedecked in red, had said that the day of vengeance for the poor would not be long in coming.

macumba f (plural macumbas)

1. macumba

Borrowed from Kimbundu makôba.

• Rhymes: -ũbɐ

macumba f (plural macumbas)

1. a percussive musical instrument of African origin often used in traditional rituals
2. any Afro-Brazilian religion, especially but not limited to Candomblé, Quimbanda, and Umbanda, so named after their use of the macumba and other African instruments
3. (Brazil, by extension) a curse or hex, a malevolent spell, especially one performed in the context of Afro-Brazilian religions

   Synonym: maldição

4. (Brazil, by extension) any spell or act of sorcery, especially one performed in the context of Afro-Brazilian religions for the benefit of someone

   Synonyms: feitiço, mandinga

5. (Brazil, by extension) offerings to the entities worshiped in those religions, often for the realization of a spell

   Synonym: despacho

• Umbanda
• Quimbanda
• Candomblé

• macumbeiro