macumba

See also: macumbą

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• enPR: mä-kŭɴ(m)′bə
• Hyphenation: ma‧cum‧ba

Noun

macumba (plural macumbas)

1. (religion) 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. [from 20th c.]
   • 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.

French

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Portuguese macumba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.kum.ba/
• Hyphenation: ma‧cum‧ba

Noun

macumba f (plural macumbas)

1. macumba (a type of Afro-Brazilian folk religion, or a specific cult or ceremony of such religion)

Polish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Portuguese macumba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /maˈkum.ba/
• Rhymes: -umba
• Syllabification: ma‧kum‧ba

Noun

macumba f

1. (religion, colloquial) alternative spelling of makumba (“macumba”)

Declension

Declension of macumba

	singular	plural
nominative	macumba	macumby
genitive	macumby	macumb
dative	macumbie	macumbom
accusative	macumbę	macumby
instrumental	macumbą	macumbami
locative	macumbie	macumbach
vocative	macumbo	macumby

Further reading

• “macumba”, in Słownik gramatyczny języka polskiego [Grammatical Dictionary of Polish], 2022
• macumba in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from Kimbundu makôba.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /maˈkũ.bɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /maˈkũ.bɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /maˈkũ.ba/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /mɐˈkũ.bɐ/

• Rhymes: -ũbɐ

Noun

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

Coordinate terms

• Umbanda
• Quimbanda
• Candomblé

Derived terms

• macumbeiro
• chuta que é macumba

Further reading

• “macumba”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “macumba”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026