Santeria

noun

San·​te·​ria ˌsän-tə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce Santeria (audio)
ˌsan-
variants or less commonly Santería
: a religion practiced originally in Cuba in which Yoruba deities are identified with Roman Catholic saints

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish santería, from santero practitioner of Santeria, from santo Yoruba deity, literally, saint's image, saint, from Spanish

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Santeria was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near Santeria

Cite this Entry

“Santeria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Santeria. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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