What does hoodoo mean?
Hoodoo is a word for folk magic, charms, and spells, especially those associated with African American traditions and folklore in the American South. In its older and more specific sense, it refers to practices intended to affect the fortunes of people, often involving ritual objects, verbal formulas, or specialized knowledge passed through families and communities. In modern informal English, the word has broadened to mean a curse, a piece of bad luck, or an unexplained run of unfortunate events. The expression “a hoodoo on the team” can describe a mysterious pattern of failure or misfortune. Hoodoo should not be confused with voodoo, which more often names a Haitian and diasporic religious tradition. The word remains culturally and historically significant as a record of Southern American belief, storytelling, and the enduring power of superstition.
A system or practice of folk magic, charms, or spells, especially one associated with African American traditions in the American South.
"Her grandmother knew a hoodoo that was supposed to protect travelers on the road."
The term is especially associated with the cultural and religious traditions of the American South.
A curse, harmful spell, or persistent streak of bad luck.
"The team seemed to have a hoodoo that followed them from one game to the next."
This is a common informal and figurative use.
To bring bad luck to someone or something, especially through a supposed spell or curse.
"Fate seemed to hoodoo the expedition from its first day."
This use is informal and figurative; it can also mean to bewitch or enchant someone in folkloric contexts.
The plural is used for individual spells, curses, practices, or instances of bad luck.
"The old stories spoke of hoodoos placed on crossroads and doorways."
Hoodoo turns the idea of a bad-luck charm into one of the American South’s most distinctive expressions of folklore.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hoodoo
The English word “hoodoo” developed in connection with African American spiritual traditions and the English-language term “voodoo,” which in turn refers to religious and ritual practices associated with Haiti and the African diaspora. Its precise early development is complicated, but the word became established in the United States for Southern folk magic and related charms or spells. Modern meanings concerning bad luck and inexplicable misfortune developed through extended figurative use.
Related word forms
How hoodoo is actually used
The word is primarily associated with the folklore and cultural traditions of the American South, particularly African American communities. In contemporary informal use, “hoodoo” often means an unexplained streak of bad luck, as in “the hoodoo of the missed penalty.” It can also carry a sense of mystery or superstitious fear.
Easily confused with hoodoo
“Voodoo” usually refers specifically to a religion or spiritual tradition rooted in Haitian and diasporic African religious practices, whereas “hoodoo” commonly refers to American Southern folk magic or, informally, to a curse or piece of bad luck.