mãe-de-santo

English

Etymology

From Portuguese mãe-de-santo, translating Yoruba ìyálórìṣà.

Pronunciation

•(UK) IPA^(key): /ˌmʌɪ dʒi ˈsantuː/

Noun

mãe-de-santo (plural mães-de-santo or mãe-de-santos)

1. A priestess of an Afro-Brazilian religion.
   • 1988, Jorge Amado, translated by Gregory Rabassa, Captains of the Sands, Penguin, published 2013, page 87:

     The imprecations of the mãe-de-santo filled the night more than the sound of the different drums that were soothing Ogun.

   • 2011, Mattijs van de Port, Ecstatic Encounters, page 197:

     His mãe-de-santo, however, insisted that this was the spirit who was taking possession of his body.

Portuguese

Noun

mãe-de-santo f (plural mães-de-santo)

1. Pre-reform spelling (used until 1990) of mãe de santo. Still used in countries where the agreement hasn't come into effect; may occur as a sporadic misspelling.